.tt.itODADV/1. 


vMt  imn 'tor/ 


m* 


\tf  l'NIVER 


^UIBRARYOc 
-* 


'UK/* 


THE 


fhifcitcations  of  ttje  prince  |s>octetp, 

Eftabliflied  May  25th,   1858. 


VOYAGES 


OF   THE 


NORTHMEN  TO  AMERICA. 


Boston: 

PRINTED     FOR    THE     SOCIETY, 

BY  JOHN  WILSON  AND  SON. 

1877. 


TEN    COPIES,    LARGE    PAPER. 
TWO    HUNDRED    COPIES,    SMALL    PAPER. 


fcC  105 
,963 


VOYAGES 


OF    THE 


NORTHMEN  TO  AMERICA. 

INCLUDING    EXTRACTS    FROM 

ICELANDIC  SAGAS   RELATING  TO  WESTERN  VOYAGES  BY   NORTH- 
MEN   IN    THE    TENTH    AND    ELEVENTH    CENTURIES     IN    AN 
ENGLISH  TRANSLATION  BY  NORTH  LUDLOW  BEAMISH; 
WITH  A  SYNOPSIS  OF  THE  HISTORICAL  EVIDENCE 
AND   THE   OPINION   OF   PROFESSOR    RAFN    AS 
TO     THE     PLACES     VISITED     BY    THE 
SCANDINAVIANS     ON     THE 
COAST   OF   AMERICA. 


EDITED     WITH    AN 


INTRODUCTION 

BY  THE   REV.   EDMUND    F.   SLAFTER,   A.M. 


Boston: 

PRINTED    FOR   THE   PRINCE   SOCIETY. 

1877- 

31678 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1877,  by 

EDMUND    F.     SLAFTBR, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of   Congress,  at  Washington. 


Suitor: 

THE   REV.   EDMUND    F.   SLAFTER,  A.M. 


03 

H 

CD 

CO 
•H 


HE  hiftorical  interefl  which  attaches  to  the 
voyages  of  the  Northmen  to  America  in  the 
tenth  and  eleventh  centuries  has  led  the  Coun- 
cil of  the  Prince  Society  to  believe  that  the 
character  of  thefe  voyages,  as  fet  forth  and 
delineated  in  the  original  Icelandic  fagas,  or  ancient  Scan- 
dinavian manufcripts,  mould  be  rendered  acceffible  to  the 
members  of  the  Society  in  an  Englifh  tranflation.  The 
excellent  verfion  of  Mr.  Beamifh,  long  fmce  out  of  print, 
has  been  ufed  for  this  purpofe.  To  this  has  been  added 
Profeffor  Rafn's  fynopfis  of  the  hiftorical  evidence  contained 
in  the  fagas,  and  his  attempt  to  identify  the  places  on  our 
coaft  vifited  by  the  Northmen. 

The  introduction  contains  an  account  of  the  firft  publica- 
tion of  the  fagas  by  the  Royal  Society  of  Northern  Anti- 
quaries, and  the  views  of  the  editor  as  to  the  credibility  of 
thefe  manufcripts  as  hiftorical  documents. 

As  the  text  of  this  volume  contains  all  that  may  be  con- 
fidered  as  truftworthy  evidence  relating  to  the  vifits  of  the 
Northmen  to  this  country,  it  is  confidently  hoped  that  it 
will  prove  to  be  not  the  leaft  valuable  of  the  Society's 
publications. 


TABLE     OF     CONTENTS. 


PACK 

MAP  OF  VINLAND Frontifpiece. 

PREFACE 5 

INTRODUCTION 9 

GENERAL  MAP  OF  NORTHERN  EUROPE  AND  AMERICA     ....  23 

THE  SAGA  OF  ERIK  THE  RED 23 

EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  HEIMSKRINGLA  OF  SNORRO  STURLESON  .     .  44 

THE  SAGA  OF  THORFINN  KARLSEFNE 45 

GEOGRAPHICAL  NOTICES 70 

MINOR  NARRATIVES 72 

PROFESSOR  RAFN'S  SYNOPSIS  OF  HISTORICAL  EVIDENCE  ....  98 

OPINION  OF  PROFESSOR  RAFN  AS  TO  IDENTITY  OF  PLACES.     .    .  112 

DIAL  OF  THE  ANCIENT  NORTHMEN,  BY  PROFESSOR  MAGNUSEN    .  126 

NAMES  GIVEN  TO  THE  PARTS  OF  THE  DAY  BY  THE  NORTHMEN   .  126 

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL 127 

OFFICERS  OF  THE  PRINCE  SOCIETY 143 

THE  PRINCE  SOCIETY 144 

PUBLICATIONS  OF  THE  PRINCE  SOCIETY 149 

INDEX 153 


IO  Introduction. 

workers  were  appointed  to  each,  felecled  with  reference  to 
their  fpecial  taftes  and  learning.  The  fruits  of  thefe  labors 
were  prolific ;  and  in  the  progrefs  of  a  few  years  more 
than  forty  volumes  were  iffued,  befides  gazettes  and  annual 
reports,  dealing  with  early  Scandinavian  life,  manners,  and 
cuftoms,  in  their  multiform  conditions  and  phafes. 

In  1837,  Profeffor  Charles  Chriftian  Rafn,  who  had  been 
placed  at  the  head  of  the  feclion  on  the  voyages  to  America, 
publifhed,  under  the  aufpices  of  the  Society,  an  elaborate 
report,  in  a  volume  entitled  "  Antiquitates  Americanae,"  an 
imperial  quarto  of  526  pages,  richly  embellimed  with 
numerous  illuftrations  and  maps,  comprifmg  fac-fimiles  of 
the  moft  important  parchment  codices,  which  had  been 
taken  as  the  bafis  of  the  work.  In  this  volume,  the  treat- 
ment of  the  whole  fubject  is  thorough  and  fcholarly. 
While  it  is  never  fafe  to  affume  that  the  treatment  of  any 
hiftorical  queftion  is  abfolutely  complete  and  exhauftive,  we 
apprehend  that  little  or  nothing  more  will  ever  be  added 
to  our  knowledge  of  the  voyages  made  to  this  country  by 
the  Northmen  in  the  tenth  century. 

The  evidence  relied  upon  by  Profeffor  Rafn  is  derived 
from  two  fources;  viz.,  from  ancient  writings,  known  as 
Icelandic  fagas,  and  from  hiftorical  monuments  and  remains 
illuftrating  and  confirming  the  narratives  contained  in  the 
fagas. 

The  hiftorical  monuments  were  of  courfe  to  be  fought  in 

O 

America.  A  correfpondence  was  accordingly  opened  with 
the  Hiftorical  Society  of  Rhode  Ifland;  and  a  very  careful 
fearch  was  made  for  fuch  remains  as  might  in  any  way 
point  to  the  Scandinavian  voyages  in  queftion.  The  atten- 
tion 


IntroduElion.  1 1 

tion  was  naturally  directed  to  feveral  objects  of  intereft, 
which  had  long  been  familiar  to  antiquaries,  and  whofe 
origin  was  at  that  time  involved  in  doubt.  Prominent 
among:  thefe  were  the  celebrated  ftone  ftruclure  of  arched 

O 

mafon-work  in  Newport,  and  the  notorious  but  unintel- 
ligible writing  upon  the  Dighton  rock.  Careful  and  elab- 
orate defcriptions  and  drawings  of  thefe  were  forwarded 
to  the  Committee  at  Copenhagen.  The  credulity  of  the 
Danifh  favans  led  them  to  exprefs  the  opinion  that  both 
of  thefe  were  the  work  of  the  Scandinavian  voyagers. 
Whatever  confidence  may  at  firft  have  been  felt  or  ex- 
preffed  in  this  opinion,  the  forty  years  that  have  fmce 
elapfed  have  left  no  trace  of  fuch  a  belief,  fo  far  as  we  are 
aware,  in  the  minds  of  diftinguifhed  antiquaries  and  hif- 
torians  of  the  prefent  day.  The  ground  has  been  carefully 
furveyed,  and  the  conclufion  has  been  reached  that  no 
remains  are  to  be  found  on  the  coafts  of  America,  that  can 
be  traced  to  the  vifits  of  the  Northmen  in  the  tenth  cen- 
tury. The  whole  of  the  evidence,  therefore,  of  thefe  alleged 
voyages  and  difcoveries,  is  documentary,  and  is  to  be  fought 
alone  in  the  Icelandic  fagas.  All  that  is  poffible  for  us  to 
know  on  the  fubject  is  contained  in  thefe  ancient  writings. 
The  range  of  inveftigation  is  thus  brought  within  a  very 
narrow  compafs.  The  documents,  confifting  of  extracts 
from  ancient  fagas,  are  not  numerous  or  extenfive.  They 
are  acceffible,  through  the  report  of  Profeffor  Rafn,  in  three 
different  languages ;  viz.,  in  the  donjk  tunga,  or  old  Ice- 
landic in  which  they  were  originally  written,  and  in  a 
Danifh  and  a  Latin  verfion.  The  Englifh  tranflation  con- 
tained in  this  volume,  comprifing  all  that  is  important  to  a 

full 


1 2  Introdu9ionm 

full  knowledge  of  the  fubjecl,  places  the  contents  of  thofe 
ancient  manufcripts  within  the  reach  of  all  ftudents  of 
American  hiftory. 

The  fynopfis  of  the  evidence,  and  the  opinion  of  Profeffor 
Rafn,  as  to  the  identity  of  the  places  vifited  on  our  coaft  by 
the  Northmen,  conftitute  a  valuable  commentary  on  the  text. 
His  opinion  is  valuable  becaufe  it  is  the  refult  of  careful  and 
fcholarly  inveftigation,  and  fhould,  doubtlefs,  have  weight 
with  the  reader.  But,  neverthelefs,  it  is  only  an  opinion, 
and  is  fubjecl;  to  the  ufual  chances  of  error.  It  muft  be 
regarded,  therefore,  as  open  to  revifion  on  all  points  on 
which  the  reader  may  be  better  informed.  This  liberty 
mould  be  freely  exercifed  on  all  opinions  which  have  been, 
or  may  be,  expreffed  on  this  fubjecl.  They  have  widely 
differed  in  the  paft,  and  it  is  not  likely  that  they  will 
altogether  coincide  in  the  future.  The  ftudent  of  thefe 
ancient  writings  will  be  able  to  form  the  beft  judgment  as 
to  the  places  vifited  by  the  Northmen,  by  a  careful  ftudy  of 
the  documents  themfelves,  regarding  the  opinions  of  others 
only  as  fubfidiary,  and  not  permitting  them  to  have  any 
controlling  influence  upon  his  own  mind,  —  certainly  not 
until  he  has  thoroughly  compaffed  and  weighed  the  force  of 
the  reafons  on  which  they  reft.  No  learning  can  juftify  us 
in  dogmatizing  on  the  fubjecl:,  or  in  criticising  with  afperky 
the  deliberately  formed  opinions  of  others.  For  the  beft 
opinion  that  may  be  formed,  with  all  poffible  facilities,  can- 
not rife  to  the  dignity  of  a  hiftorical  demonftration,  or  be 
held  without  fome  deep  fhadings  of  doubt. 

But  an  important  queftion  muft  be  fettled  prior  to  that 
of  the  identity  of  the  places  vifited.  This  leads  us  to  a 

brief 


Introduftion.  1 3 

brief  confideration  of  the  credibility  of  the  Icelandic  fagas. 
From  thefe  ancient  writings,  as  we  have  already  intimated, 
we  derive  all  our  knowledge  relating  in  any  way  to  thefe 
voyages.  It  is  from  them  that  we  firft  learn  that  the  alleged 
voyages  were  undertaken  to  the  American  coaft.  Our  be- 
lief in  the  narratives  contained  in  thefe  documents  muft 
therefore  depend  upon  what  we  know  of  the  origin  of  the 
documents  in  queftion,  the  manner  in  which  they  have  been 
preferved  and  handed  down  to  us  through  a  period  of 
nearly  nine  hundred  years.  That  we  may  comprehend  this 
more  fully,  a  few  preliminary  flatements  will  be  neceffary. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  ninth  century,  Iceland  was 
difcovered  and  colonized  by  voyagers  from  Norway.  A 
century  later,  the  colonifts  of  Iceland  continued  their 
explorations  to  Greenland,  where  Chriftianity  was  fubfe- 
quently  introduced,  churches  were  planted,  and  continued 
to  exift  and  flourifh  for  a  period  of  more  than  two  hundred 
and  fifty  years.  The  tide  of  emigration  from  Norway  to 
Iceland  became  fo  great  that  it  was  finally  prohibited  by 
royal  proclamation.  The  government  inftituted  by  the 
Icelanders  was  at  firft  patriarchal  and  informal,  and  was 
moulded  moftly  by  the  common  law  or  ufages  of  their  native 
land.  Wealth,  intellectual  force,  and  enterprife  foon  gave 
importance  to  individuals,  and  by  common  confeiit  they 
became  magiftrates  and  chiefs  in  the  little  republic.  Family 
pride  naturally  fprang  up,  and  was  foftered  by  ambition  and 
love  of  power.  The  fame  of  their  anceftors,  their  fortunes 
and  their  achievements,  were  cherifhed,  and  religioufly 
handed  down  by  oral  tradition  from  father  to  fon  as  a 
precious  inheritance.  To  render  the  recital  of  them  flow- 
ing 


1 4  Introdu&ion. 

ing  and  eafy,  as  well  as  to  aid  the  memory,  many  of  them 
were  turned  into  poetic  meafure.  Soon  an  order  of  poets, 
or  fkalds,  arofe,  whofe  office  and  vocation  were  to  weave 
thefe  poetic  narratives,  and  recite  them  at  feftivals,  the 
general  affizes,  and  on  occafions  of  public  gathering.  At 
a  later  period,  hiftorical  narratives  in  profe,  of  wide  and 
engroffing  interefl,  were  fkilfully  put  together  and  poliflied 
for  public  recital.  Thefe  were  called  Sagas ;  and  thofe  who 
moulded  them  into  fuitable  form,  and  repeated  them  on 
great  occafions  before  the  affembled  nobles,  were  called 
Sagamen.1  Chriflianity  was  planted  in  Iceland  in  the  year 
1000.  Up  to  this  time,  written  language,  if  we  except  Runic 
infcriptions,2  had  not  been  introduced ;  nor  afterward  were 
hiftorical  narratives  or  fagas  committed  to  writing,  until 
the  middle  of  the  twelfth  century.  About  this  period,  the 
fagas,  that  had  floated  down  on  the  tide  of  memory  for 
many  generations,  began  to  be  written  out  upon  parch- 
ment. 

1  "  At  all  public  meetings,  and  par-  on      Ancient      Northern     Literature, 

ticularly  at  the  affembly  of  the  Althing,  Guide  to  Northern  Archaeology,  Lon- 

the  fineft  of  the  old  traditions  were  re-  don,   1848,  p.  10. 

cited.  .  .  .  Every  confiderable  chief-  *  The  Runic  was  a  method  of  writ- 
tain  had  long  had  his  fagaman.  On  ing.  Rune,  derived  from  ryn,  means 
thefe  occafions,  he  came  forward  before  a  furrow,  or  channel.  The  Runic  char- 
the  people,  and  the  firft  of  the  land  a<5lers  were  moflly  made  up  of  ftraight 
were  his  auditors.  The  fong  of  the  lines,  cutting  or  meeting  each  other  at 
Ikald  and  the  narrative  of  the  fagaman,  certain  angles,  and  were  for  this  rea- 
when  thus  all  eyes  were  fixed  upon  fon  efpecially  convenient  for  brief  in- 
him,  and  all  ears  open  to  him,  behooved  fcriptions  on  wood  or  ftone,  for  which 
not  only  to  be  artiftical,  lively,  and  at-  they  were  exclufively  ufed.  They  were 
tractive,  but  true.  If  the  recital  was  employed  to  fix  dates,  the  ownership  of 
without  life,  it  wearied  ;  if  it  varied  property,  to  begin  a  paragraph  in  aid 
from  fa<5ls  with  which  every  auditor  of  the  memory,  or  where  the  whole 
was  familiar,  if  it  contained  falfe-  ftory  could  be  told  in  a  word  or  a  line, 
hoods,  the  reciter  was  treated  as  a  but  were  never  ufed  in  writing  books 
braggart  and  a  liar."  — N.  M.  Peterfen  or  extended  documents  of  any  fort. 


Introduction. 


ment.3  The  difficulty  of  obtaining  prepared  fkins  was 
great,  and  the  procefs  of  writing  was  flow  and  expenfive, 
and  few  fagas  were  at  firft  elevated  into  the  written  form. 
But  in  the  thirteenth  century,  the  golden  age  of  Icelandic 
literature,  thefe  writings  accumulated  to  a  vaft  number. 
After  the  decline  of  Icelandic  literature,  during  the  feven- 
teenth  century  or  early  part  of  the  eighteenth,  moft,  if  not 
all,  of  thefe  ancient  documents,  were  collected  together 
and  transferred  to  the  libraries  of  Stockholm  and  Copen- 
hagen.4 

Thefe 


3  Snorro  Sturlefon,  a  faga  writer, 
who  was  born  in  the  year  1178,  the 
author  of  the  Heimfkringla,  or  Chron- 
icle of  the  Kings  of  Norway,  in  his 
introduction  to  that  work,  gives  us  a 
very  clear  idea  of  how  the  fagas  were 
written,  and  likewifeof  their  credibility. 
"  In  this  book,"  he  fays,  "  I  have  had 
old  ftories  written  down,  as  I  have 
heard  them  told  by  intelligent  people, 
concerning  chiefs  who  have  held  do- 
minion in  the  northern  countries,  and 
who  fpoke  the  Danim  tongue ;  and, 
alfo,  concerning  fome  of  their  family 
branches,  according  to  what  has  been 
told  me.  Some  of  this  is  found  in 
ancient  family  regifters,  in  which  the 
pedigrees  of  kings  and  other  perfonages 
of  high  birth  are  reckoned  up  ;  and  part 
is  written  down  after  old  fongs  and 
ballads,  which  our  forefathers  had  for 
their  amufement.  Now,  although  we 
cannot  juft  fay  what  truth  there  may 
be  in  thefe,  yet  we  have  the  certainty 
that  old  and  wife  men  held  them  to  be 
true."  Again  he  fays.:  "We  reft  the 
foundations  of  our  ftory  principally 
upon  the  fongs  which  were  fung  in  the 
prefence  of  the  chiefs  themfelves,  or  of 
their  fons,  and  take  all  to  be  true  that 
is  found  in  fuch  poems  about  their 


feats  and  battles ;  for  although  it  be 
the  famion  with  fkalds  to  praife  moft 
thofe  in  whofe  prefence  they  are  ftand- 
ing,  yet  no  one  would  dare  to  relate  to 
a  chief  what  he  and  all  thofe  who  heard 
it  knew  to  be  falfe  and  imaginary,  —  not 
a  true  account  of  his  deeds ;  becaufe 
that  would  be  mockery,  not  praise." 
—  The  Heimjkringla,  translated  by 
Samuel Laing,  London,  1844,  Vol.  I. 
pp.  211-213. 

4  "  It  was  fortunate  for  hiftory,  ^hat 
from  the  feventeenth  century  the  atten- 
tion of  the  literati,  both  in  Sweden 
and  Denmark,  was  turned  to  the  im- 
portance of  Icelandic  manufcripts. 
Arngrim  Johnfon,  author  of  Crymogaea, 
aflifted  by  King  Chriftian  IV.  of  Den- 
mark (1643),  collected  feveral  of  them  ; 
and  Bifhop  Brynjulf  Svendfon  fent 
fome  of  the  moft  important  Icelandic 
codices  to  Frederic  III.  (1670),  who 
was  a  zealous  promoter  of  all  intel- 
lectual advancement.  The  Icelander 
Rugman,  who,  taken  prifoner  in  the 
wars  of  Charles  X.  of  Sweden,  had 
awakened  the  attention  of  the  Swedifh 
literati  to  the  literary  treafures  of  his 
own  country,  was  fent  to  the  ifland  in 
1 66 1  to  purchafe  manufcripts  for  the 
Antiquarian  Mufeum  of  Stockholm, 

and 


1 6  Introduction. 

Thefe  manufcripts  embrace  a  wide  range  of  fubjects. 
Among  them  are  poems,  works  of  fiction,  perfonal  memoirs, 
hiftorical  narratives,  all  more  or  lefs  pervaded  by  the  old 
Scandinavian  mythology,  or  the  teachings  and  fuperftitions 
of  mediaeval  Chriftianity.  One  clafs  can  be  diftinguifhed 
from  another,  veritable  hiftory  from  fiction,  with  the  fame 
facility  and  moral  certainty  that  we  diftinguifh  fimilar  writ- 
ings of  a  modern  date.  The  hiftorical  faga  differs  from  the 
faga  that  deals  with  fiction  as  clearly  as  the  drefs  and  bear- 
ing of  the  Cavalier  from  the  drefs  and  bearing  of  the  Round- 
head, or  the  peafant.  The  purpofe  of  the  writer  fhines 
through  his  compofition  as  light  through  a  tranfparent 
medium.  The  hiftorian  cannot  do  his  work  after  the  man- 
ner of  the  novelift,  nor  the  novelift  in  the  ftyle  of  the 
hiftorian.  Both  are  artifts,  and  neither  defires  to  conceal 
his  art.  The  work  of  the  one  can  be  diftinguifhed  from 
the  work  of  the  other,  as  clearly  as  a  landfcape  in  Nature 
from  a  landfcape  on  canvas,  or  as  a  living  man  from  a 
likenefs  in  bronze  or  marble.  Scandinavian  fcholars,  men 
of  learning,  difcrimination,  and  found  judgment,  have  claf- 
fified  thefe  ancient  writings  after  careful  and  prolonged 
ftudy,  and  no  reafonable  mind  will  defire  to  appeal  from 
their  verdict. 

Among 

and  many  were  afterwards  fent  thither  at  the  head  of  a  royal  commiffion  in 

on  the  fame  errand  ;  but  Chriftian  V.  Iceland,  which   carried   on   its   labors 

of  Denmark,  whofe  dominion,  includ-  with  unwearied  affiduity  from  1702  to 

ing  Norway,  extended  to  Iceland,  iffued  1712,  that  the  remaining  manufcripts 

a  prohibition  in  1685  againft  any  manu-  were  collected  and  lodged  in  the  libra- 

fcripts  being  difpofed  of  to  ftrangers  ;  ries  of  Copenhagen."  —  Beamiffl s  Dif- 

nor  was  it  until  the  eminent  antiquary  covery  of  America  by  the  Northmen, 

Profeffor  Arnas  Magnuffen  was  placed  p.  xliii. 


Introduction.  1 7 

Among  this  vaft  number  of  Scandinavian  manufcripts 5 
there  are  two  hiftorical  fagas  which  defcribe  weftern  voyages, 
undertaken  during  the  twenty-five  years  that  intervened 
between  985  and  ion.  One  of  them  is  known  as  the 
Saga  of  Erik  the  Red,  and  the  other  as  that  of  Thorfinn 
Karlfefne.  On  thefe  two  documents  refts  all  the  effential 
evidence  which  we  have  relating  to  the  voyages  of  the 
Northmen  to  America.  Allufions  are  found  in  feveral  other 
Scandinavian  writings,  which  may  corroborate  and  confirm 
the  narratives  of  the  two  important  fagas  to  which  we  have 
juft  referred,  but  add  nothing  to  them  really  effential 
or  important.  The  Saga  of  Erik  the  Red  is  taken  from 
the  Codex  Flateyenfis,6  containing  a  number  of  fagas,  which 
were  collected  and  written  out  in  their  prefent  form  at  fome 
time  between  the  years  1387  and  1395.  The  original  faga, 
of  which  this  is  a  copy,  is  not  known  to  be  now  in  exiflence, 
but  is  conjectured,  from  internal  evidence  drawn  from  its 

language 

8  The    Arnae-Magnaean    Collection  III.     It  was  written,  as  may  be  clearly 

alone  contains  two  thoufand  volumes  mown    by  ftatements  contained  in  it, 

of  Icelandic  and  old  Northern  manu-  between   1387  and   1395.     It  contains 

fcripts.     This  collection  was  made  by  feveral  fagas  befide  that  of   Erik  the 

Arnas  Magnuffen,  a  diftinguifhed  anti-  Red,  which  appear  to  have  been  writ- 

quary,  between  1702  and  1712,  and  is  ten  by  feveral  hands.     The  following 

named   in   honor  of  him. —  Vide   the  is  a  part  of  the  infcription  on  the  firft 

Earl    of     Ellefmere's    Guide    to    Old  page:  ''The  prieft  Ion  Thordarfon  has 

Northern  Archaeology,    London,   1848,  written   from    Eric   Vidforla,  and   the 

p.  128.  two    fagas   of    the    Olafs ;    and   prieft 

6  This    manufcript,   in   large  folio,  Magnus  ThorhalliTon  has  written  from 

beautifully  written  on  parchment,  and  thence,  and  alfo  what  is  written  before, 

illuminated,  was  found  in  a  monaftery  and  has  illuminated  the  whole.     God 

on  the  illand  Flatey,  in  Bredefiord  in  Almighty  and  the  Holy  Virgin  Mary 

Iceland;  and  from  this  ifland  takes  its  blefs  thofe  who  wrote    and  him  who 

name,  Codex  Flateyenfis.     It  was  pur-  dictated."  —  Laing's      Heimjkringla, 

chafed    by  Bifhop  Swendfon  of  Skal-  London,  1844,  Vol.  I.  pp.  157,  158. 
holt,   about   1650,   for   King   Frederic 


1 8  Introduction. 

language  and  ftyle,  to  have  been  originally  compofed  in  the 
twelfth  century. 

The  Saga  of  Thorfinn  Karlfefne  in  its  prefent  form  is 
fuppofed  to  have  been  written,  at  leaft  a  part  of  it,  by  Hauk 
Erlendfon,  for  many  years  governor  of  Iceland,  who  died 
in  1334.  Whether  it  had  been  committed  to  writing  at  an 
earlier  period,  and  copied  by  him  from  a  manufcript,  or 
whether  he  took  the  narrative  from  oral  tradition  and  re- 
duced it  himfelf  to  writing  for  the  firft  time,  is  not  known. 

Both  of  thefe  documents  are  declared,  by  thofe  qualified 
to  judge  of  the  character  of  ancient  writings,  to  be  authentic, 
and  were  clearly  regarded  by  their  writers  as  narratives  of 
hiftorical  truth. 

As  the  voyages  to  America  recorded  in  the  fagas  took 
place  near  the  beginning  of  the  eleventh  century,  as  is 
clearly  mown  by  the  documents  themfelves,  and  written 
language  was  not  introduced  into  Iceland  till  about  the 
middle  of  the  twelfth  century,  it  obvioufly  follows  that  the 
narratives  of  the  alleged  voyages  to  America  remained  only 
in  the  form  of  oral  traditions  at  leaft  one  hundred  and  fifty, 
and  probably  two  hundred  years  after  the  voyages  were 
made.  We  have  likewife  already  feen  that  the  oldeft  fagas 
now  exifting,  and  containing  the  narrative  of  thefe  voy- 
ages, were  written  from  three  hundred  to  four  hundred  years 
after  the  events  recorded  in  them  took  place. 

With  thefe  facts  clearly  in  mind,  the  reader  will  be  able  to 
form  his  own  opinion,  to  determine  for  himfelf  what  degree 
of  credibility  ought  to  be  accorded  to  thefe  ancient  writings. 
While  there  is  no  corroborating  evidence  outfide  of  Icelandic 
writings  themfelves,  no  monuments  in  this  country  confirm- 
ing 


Introduction.  \  9 

ing  the  truthfulnefs  of  the  narratives,  they  have,  neverthelefs, 
all  the  elements  of  truth  contained  in  other  fagas,  which 
are  clearly  confirmed  by  monumental  remains.  Events 
occurring  in  Greenland,  recorded  in  Icelandic  fagas  of  equal 
antiquity,  are  eftablifhed  by  the  undoubted  teftimony  of 
ancient  monuments.  This,  together  with  the  fact  that 
there  is  no  improbability  that  fuch  voyages  mould  have 
been  made,  render  it  eafy  to  believe  that  the  narratives 
contained  in  the  fagas  are  true  in  their  general  outlines  and 
important  features. 

It  is  alfo  to  be  obferved,  that  a  denial  that  thefe  voy- 
ages were  made  to  this  continent  leaves,  to  thofe  who  are 
thus  incredulous,  an  exceedingly  difficult  problem  to  folve. 
Thefe  Icelandic  narratives  were  written,  undeniably,  long 
before  the  difcoveries  of  Columbus  in  the  Weft  Indies,  and 
of  John  Cabot-  on  our  northern  Atlantic  coaft.  The  authors 
had,  confequently,  no  information  to  guide  them  in  fabricat- 
ing a  probable,  but  neverthelefs  fictitious,  ftory.  They 
defcribe,  however,  with  extraordinary  truthfulnefs  the  gen- 
eral outlines  and  characteriftics  of  our  eaftern  fhores, 
embracing  foil,  products,  and  climate;  beginning  in  the 
northern  regions  of  perpetual  froft,  and  extending  far  down 
along  the  genial  and  fruitful  coafts  of  the  temperate  zone. 
The  accounts  given  by  the  voyagers  were  accepted  as  true 
by  their  contemporaries,  and  wrought  into  the  permanent 
hiftorical  literature  of  their  country.  To  believe  that  the 
agreement  of  thefe  narratives  with  the  facts,  as  they  are  now 
known  to  us,  was  fortuitous,  accidental,  a  mere  matter  of 
chance,  is,  under  all  the  conditions  and  circumftances,  impof- 
lible.  In  their  general  fcope  at  leaft,  thefe  narratives  have 

therefore 


2O  Introduction. 

therefore  been  accepted  by  the  molt  judicious  and  difpaf- 
fionate  hiflorical  writers  throughout  the  republic  of  letters. 

But  when  we  defcend  to  minor  ftatements  and  particu- 
lars unimportant  to  the  general  drift  and  import  of  the  nar- 
ratives, we  fhall  doubtlefs  find  it  difficult  to  accept  them 
with  an  unhefitating  belief.  Narrations  that  have  floated 
down  on  the  current  of  oral  tradition  through  many  genera- 
tions are  not  only  likely,  but  quite  fure,  to  be  warped  and 
twifted,  to  fome  extent,  out  of  their  original  form  and  mean- 
ing. Events  paffing  from  one  narrator  to  another  are 
fhaped  and  colored,  efpecially  in  fubordinate  particulars,  by 
the  laft  mind  through  which  they  pafs.  Each  narrator  deals 
with  them  after  the  manner  of  an  artift,  and,  confcioufly  or 
unconfcioufly,  leaves  upon  them  the  imprefs  of  his  own 
mind.  The  careful  hiflorian  receives,  therefore,  all  tradi- 
tions, efpecially  thofe  of  long  ftanding,  cum  grano  falis,  and 
never  vouches  for  their  abfolute  and  entire  truth. 

But  it  is  to  be  obferved  that  the  Icelandic  fagamen,  in 
whofe  cuftody  this  Scandinavian  lore  remained  for  nearly 
two  hundred  years,  were  profeffional  narrators  of  events.  It 
was  their  office  and  duty  carefully  to  commit  to  memory 
and  tranfmit  to  others  what  they  had  themfelves  received. 
The  profeffional  character  of  the  fagaman  was  therefore,  in 
fome  degree,  a  guarantee  for  the  prefervation  of  the  truth. 
But  it  was  neverthelefs  impoffible  that  in  the  long  chain  of 
narrators  errors  mould  not  creep  in ;  that  the  memory  of 
fome  of  them  mould  not  falter  at  times ;  and,  more  than 
this,  that  variations  mould  not  have  been  introduced  here 
and  there,  in  obedience  to  the  fagaman 's  conception  of  an 
improved  flyle  and  a  better  tafte.  Few,  probably,  will  be 

fo 


Introduction  ^  2 1 

fo  rafli  as  to  deny  that  fuch  variations  as  thefe  have  been 
incorporated  into  the  text.  What  thefe  variations  were, 
whether  they  were  many  or  few,  it  will  be  impoffible  for  us 
ever  to  determine.  But  a  knowledge  or  belief  that  the 
text,  as  we  read  it  to-day,  is  not  -probably,  in  all  minor 
particulars,  precifely  what  it  was  as  it  was  given  by  the 
Scandinavian  voyagers  themfelves,  when  they  firft  rehearfed 
the  ftory  of  their  difcoveries  to  their  friends  in  Iceland  eight 
hundred  and  fifty  years  ago,  mould  lead  us  to  render  our 
interpretations  with  a  correfponding  modefty  and  a  re- 
flrained  affurance. 

We  have  thus  endeavored  in  thefe  pages  to  prefent  to 
the  reader,  in  the  moft  abbreviated  form  poffible,  the  hiftory 
and  character  of  the  evidence  which  we  poffefs  that  the 
Northmen  came  to  the  mores  of  America  in  the  tenth  and 
eleventh  centuries.  During  the  laffc  few  years,  moft,  if  not 
all,  of  the  writers  who  have  touched  upon  our  early  Ameri- 
can hiftory,  have  recognized  the  voyages  of  the  Northmen 
to  America  by  ftatements  and  allufions  more  or  lefs  .ex- 
tended. The  greater  part  of  them  have  reiterated  the 
conclufions  of  others,  without  having  themfelves  arrived  at 
a  full  and  comprehenfive  knowledge  of  the  fubjecl.  To 
fome  the  means  of  forming  an  intelligent  opinion  have 
not  been  within  their  reach.  Others  have  approached  the 
fubjecl:  under  great  difadvantages.  The  evidence  has  been 
prefented  fo  overloaded  with  the  deductions  of  enthufiaftic 
editors,  that  their  judgment  has  been  embarraffed,.and  their 
conclufions  foreflalled.  It  has  been  our  aim,  in  offering  this 
collection  to  the  members  of  the  Prince  Society,  to  prefent 
the  entire  evidence  on  the  fubject  iri  fuch  a  manner  that  it 

can 


2  2  Introduction. 

can  be  clearly  underftood,  and  weighed  difpaffionately  and 
without  embarraffment. 

Our  annotations  of  the  fagas  are  intended  to  elucidate 
the  meaning  of  the  text,  but  not  to  predetermine  its  appli- 
cation. Our  knowledge  of  the  points  vifited  on  our  coafl 
muft  depend  upon  fubordinate  and  minor  expreffions  of  the 
fagas,  neceffarily  fubjecl,  as  we  have  feen,  to  mutations ;  and 
queflions  of  this  fort  may  properly  be  left  to  the  unbiaffed 
judgment  and  determination  of  the  reader. 

The  effay  of  Profeffor  Rafn,  in  its  fynopfis  of  the  evidence 
contained  in  the  fagas,  and  his  attempt  to  identify  localities, 
the  refult  of  careful  ftudy  and  ripe  fcholarfhip,  can  hardly 
fail  to  be  ufeful,  if,  indeed,  we  mall  regard  it  only  as  a  com- 
mentary upon  the  text,  the  expreffion  of  a  perfonal  opinion, 
but  not  as  a  final  authority  in  fettling  any  important  hif- 
torical  queftion.  With  this  view,  and  this  only,  it  has  been 
introduced  into  this  volume. 


E.   F.   S. 


BOSTON,  ii  Beacon  Street, 
20  February,  1877. 


ICELANDIC    SAGAS. 


around.10 


CONCERNING   ERIK   THE   RED.7 
A.  D.  985. 

HERE  was  a  man  named  Thorvald,8  a  fon  of 
Ofvald,  a  fon  of  Ulf-Oxne-Thorerffon.  Thor- 
vald and  his  fon  Erik  the  Red  removed  from 
Jaeder9  to  Iceland,  in  confequence  of  murder. 
At  that  time  was  Iceland  colonized  wide 

They  lived  at  Drange  on  Hornftrand :  there 

died 


7  "  This  manufcript,"  known  as  the 
Saga  of  Erik  the  Red,  "  forms  part  of 
the  celebrated  Flatobogen,  or  Codex 
Flateyenfis ;  and  the  language,  con- 
ftruclion,  and  ftyle  of  the  narrative, 
together  with  other  unerring  indica- 
tions, prove  it  to  have  been  written  in 
the  twelfth  century. 

"  Although  the  main  object  of  the 
writer  of  this  narrative  appears  to  have 
been  to  enumerate  the  deeds  and  ad- 
ventures of  Erik  and  his  fons,  fhort 
accounts  are  alfo  given  of  the  difcov- 
eries  of  fucceeding  voyagers,  the  moft 
diftinguifhed  of  whom  was  Thorfinn 
Karlfefne  ;  but  as  a  more  detailed  nar- 
rative of  the  difcoveries  of  this  remark- 
able perfonage  is  contained  in  the  man- 
ufcript entitled  'The  Saga  of  Thorfinn 
Karlfefne,'  which  is  alfo  tranflated,  thefe 
feleclions  are  principally  confined  to  the 


voyages  of  Erik  and  his  immediate  fol- 
lowers." 

We  may  here  remark  that  under 
the  head  of  Icelandic  Sagas  we  com- 
prehend all  written  by  the  Icelanders 
or  their  defcendants,  whether  in  Ice- 
land proper,  in  the  neighboring  iflands, 
Greenland  or  elsewhere.  —  Vide  Bea- 
miJJi's  Dis.  Am.  by  the  Northmen, 
London,  1841,  p.  46. 

8  The  old  Icelandic  hit,  equivalent 
to  the  Latin  nominatu s eft,  is  tranflated 
by  Mr.  Beamifh  into  the  old  Englifh 
word  hight.     This  word  has  the  active 
form  while  it  is  paffive  in  meaning,  and 
is,  moreover,  obfolete.    We  have  there- 
fore rendered  it,   was  called  or  was 
named  in  all  cafes. 

9  In  Norway. 

10  "  Iceland  was  colonized  by  Ingolf, 
a  Norwegian,  in  874.     The  difcovery 

of 


24  Icelandic  Sagas. 

died  Thorvald.  Erik  then  married  Thorhild,  the  daughter 
of  Jaerunda  and  Thorbjorg  Knarrarbringa,  who  afterwards 
married  Thorbjorn  of  Haukadal. 

Then  went  Erik  from  the  north,  and  lived  at  Erikftad, 
near  Vatfhorn.  The  fon  of  Erik  and  Thorhild  was  called 
Leif.  But  after  Eyulf  Soer's  and  Rafn  the  duellift's  murder, 
was  Erik  banimed  from  Haukadal,  and  he  removed  weftwards 
to  Breidafjord,  and  lived  at  GExney  at  Erikftad.  He  lent 
Thorgefl  his  feat-pofts,11  and  could  not  get  them  back 
again ;  he  then  demanded  them :  upon  this  arofe  difputes 
and  frays  between  him  and  Thorgefl,  as  is  told  in  Erik's  faga. 
Styr  Thorgrimfon,  Eyulf  of  Svinoe,  and  the  fons  of  Brand 
of  Alptafjord,  and  Thorbjorn  Vifilfon,  affifted  Erik  in  this 
matter;  but  the  fons  of  Thorgeller  and  Thorgeir  of  Hitardal 
ftood  by  the  Thorgeftlingers.  Erik  was  declared  outlawed 
by  the  Thorfnefthing,12  and  he  then  made  ready  his  fliip  in 

Erik's 

of  the  ifland  has  been  erroneoufly  great  judgment  by  Mr.  Beamim;  and 
given  to  Nadodd  in  862  ;  but  Finn  we  therefore  need  to  offer  no  apology 
Magnufen  and  Rafn  have  mown  that  it  for  introducing  them  into  this  work. 
had  been  previoufly  vifited  by  Gardar,  "  The  Setftokka  were  carved  pillars 
a  Dane  of  Swedifh  defcent,  about  the  of  wood  attached  to  the  refidence  of 
year  860,  and  was  firft  called  Gardarf-  nobles,  ornamented  at  the  top  with  the 
holm  (Gardar's  Ifland)  ;  nor  can  the  buft  of  their  protecting  deity,  as  Thor 
arrival  of  Nadodd,  who  called  it  Snee-  or  Odin.  When  the  Northmen  re- 
land  (Snowland),  be  fixed  at  an  earlier  moved  from  one  place  to  another,  in 
period  than  864."  —  See  Gr'6nland'ls  obedience  to  a  fmgular  fuperftition, 
Hiftorijke  Mindcfmcerker,  Vol.  I.  pp.  they  caft  their  fetftokka  into  the  fea ; 
92-97.  —  BeamiJJi.  and  wherever  they  were  ftranded,  there 

We  may  here  remark  that  the  text  they  made  their  abode, 
of  Mr.  Beamim's  tranflation  is  eluci-         12  Ting,  or  Thing,  fignifies,  in  the 

dated    frequently    by    learned    notes,  old  Scandinavian    tongue,  to  fpeak; 

taken  largely  from  the  more  elaborate  and  hence  a  popular  affembly,  or  court 

work  of  Profeffor  Rafn,  entitled  "An-  of  juftice.     The  national   affembly  of 

tiquitates  Americanas,"  to   which   we  Norway  ftill  retains  the  name  of  Stor- 

have   already   referred    in    the    Intro-  thing,  or  great  meeting,  and  is  divided 

duftion  to  this  volume.     The  pith  and  into  two  chambers,  called  the  Lag-thing 

general  fcope  of  thefe  notes,  originally  and  Odels-thing.  —  BeamiJIi. 
written  in  Latin,  have  been  ftated  with 


Icelandic  Sagas.  25 

Erik's  creek;  and  when  he  was  ready,  Styr  and  the  others 
followed  him  out  paft  the  iflands.  Erik  told  them  that  he 
intended  to  go  in  fearch  of  the  land,  which  Ulf  Krage's  fon 
Gunnbjorn  faw,  when  he  was  driven  out  to  the  weftward  in 
the  fea,  the  time  when  he  found  the  rocks  of  Gunnbjorn.13 
He  faid  he  would  come  back  to  his  friends  if  he  found  the 
land.  Erik  failed  out  from  Snasfellfjokul ; 14  he  found  land, 
and  came  in  from  the  fea  to  the  place  which  he  called 
Midjokul ;  it  is  now  called  Blaferkr.  He  then  went  fouth- 
wards  to  fee  whether  it  was  there  habitable  land.  The  firft 
winter  he  was  at  Erikfey,  nearly  in  the  middle  of  the  eaftern 
fettlement ;  the  fpring  after  repaired  he  to  Eriksfjord,  and 
took  up  there  his  abode.  He  removed  in  fummer  to  the 
weftern  fettlement,  and  gave  to  many  places  names.  He 
was  the  fecond  winter  at  Holm  in  Hrafnfgnipa;  but  the 
third  fummer  went  he  to  Iceland,  and  came  with  his  fhip 
into  Breidafjord.  He  called  the  land  which  he  had  found 
Greenland,  becaufe,  quoth  he,  "  people  will  be  attracted 
thither,  if  the  land  has  a  good  name."  Erik  was  in  Iceland 
for  the  winter,  but  the  fummer  after  went  he  to  colonize 
the  land ;  he  dwelt  at  Brattahlid  in  Eriksfjord.  Informed 
people  fay  that  the  fame  fummer  Erik  the  Red  went  to 
colonize  Greenland ;  thirty-five  mips  failed  from  Breidafjord 
and  Borgafjord,  but  only  fourten  arrived  ;  fome  were  driven 
back,  and  others  were  loft.  This  was  fifteen  winters  before 

Chriftianity 

18  Gunnbjarnafker,  flated  by  Bjorn     by  the  defcent  of  Arctic  ice. — Antiq. 
Johnfon  to  have  been  about  midway     Am.,  p.  n,  note  a. — Beamijh. 
between  Iceland  and  Greenland,  but         14  Jbkul  is  ufed  to  defcribe  a  tnoun- 
now  concealed,  or  rendered  inacceffible     tain  of  fnow  or  ice  (glacier),  fromja&i, 

a  fragment  of  ice.  — Idem. 


26  Icelandic  Sagas. 

Chriftianity  was  eftablifhed  by  law  in  Iceland.15  "  The 
fame  feafon  Bifhop  Frederick,  and  Thorvald  the  fon  of 
Kodran,  departed  from  Iceland." 16  The  following  men, 
who  went  out  with  Erik,  took  land  in  Greenland:  Herjulf 
took  Herjulfsfjord  (he  lived  at  Herjulfpnefs),  Ketil  Ketilf- 
fjord,  Rafn  Rafnsfjord,  Scelve  Scelvedal,  Helge  Thorbrandffon 
Alptafjord,  Thorbjornglora  Siglefjord,  Einar  Einarsfjord, 
Hafgrim  Hafgrimsfjord  and  Vatnahverf,  Arnlaug  Arn- 
laugsfjord ;  but  fome  went  to  the  weftern  fettlement. 

"  After  the  lapfe  of  fixteen  winters  from  the  time  Erik 
the  Red  went  to  inhabit  Greenland,  Leif,  the  fon  of  Erik, 
going  from  Greenland  into  Norway,  came  in  the  autumn  to 
Drontheim,  when  King  Olaf,  the  fon  of  Tryggvius,  came 
thither  from  Hegeland.  Leif  brought  his  fhip  to  Nidaros, 
and  repaired  immediately  to  King  Olaf.  The  king  ex- 
horted him,  as  alfo  the  other  pagan  men  who  came  to  him, 
to  accept  religion.  When  the  king  had  eafily  effected  this 
with  Leif,  he  was  baptized,  and  all  his  failors ;  and  he  paffed 
the  winter  with  the  king,  being  liberally  entertained." 


BJARNI    SEEKS   OUT    GREENLAND. 
A.  D.  986. 

HERJULF  was  the  fon  of  Bard  Herjulfson ;  he  was  kinf- 
man  to  the  colonift  Ingolf.     To  Herjulf  gave  Ingolf  land 

between 

15  Chriftianity  was  eftablifhed  in  Ice-  Beamifh's  tranflation,  but  is  found  in 

land  A.D.  1000.  It  consequently  fol-  Rafn's  text,  as  alfo  that  relating  to  the 

lows  that  Erik  the  Red  went  to  colo-  baptifm  of  Leif  and  his  party,  which 

nize  Greenland  A.D.  985.  we  have  placed  under  quotation-marks. 

18  This  paflage  is   omitted  in  Mr.  — Vide  Antiq.  Am.,  p    15. 


Icelandic  Sagas.  27 

between  Vog  and  Reykjanefs.17  Herjulf  lived  firfl  at  Drep- 
ftock.  His  wife  was  named  Thorgerd,  and  Bjarni  was  their 
fon,  a  very  hopeful  man.  He  conceived,  when  yet  young, 
a  defire  to  travel  abroad,  and  foon  earned  for  himfelf  both 
riches  and  refpect ;  and  he  was  every  fecond  winter  abroad, 
every  other  at  home  with  his  father.  Soon  poffeffed  Bjarni 
his  own  fhip  ;  and  the  laft  winter  he  was  in  Norway,  Herjulf 
prepared  for  a  voyage  to  Greenland  with  Erik.  In  the  fhip 
with  Herjulf  was  a  Chriftian  from  the  Hebrides,18  who 
made  a  hymn  refpecling  the  whirlpool,19  in  which  was  the 
following  verfe :  — 

"  O  Thou  who  trieft  holy  men ! 
Now  guide  me  on  my  way  ; 
Lord  of  the  earth's  wide  vault,  extend 
Thy  gracious  hand  to  me.  " 

Herjulf  lived  at  Herjulfsnefs  ;  he  was  a  very  refpeclable 
man.  Erik  the  Red  lived  at  Brattahlid ;  he  was  the  mofl 
looked  up  to,  and  every  one  regulated  themfelves  by  him. 
Thefe  were  Erik's  children  :  Leif,  Thorvald,  and  Thorftein  : 
but  his  daughter  was  called  Freydis ;  me  was  married  to  a 
man  who  was  named  Thorvard ;  they  lived  in  Garde,  where 
is  now  the  Bifhop's  feat ;  me  was  very  haughty,  but  Thor- 
vard was  narrow-minded ;  me  was  married  to  him  chiefly  on 
account  of  his  money.  Heathen  were  the  people  in  Green- 
land at  this  time.  Bjarni  came  to  Eyrar  with  his  fhip  the 

fummer 

17  In  Iceland.  ancient  Icelandic  writer  as  a  dangerous 

18  The  Latin  verfion  has  vir  Hebu-  pafs  in  the  Greenland  ocean. — Antiq. 
denfis.  Amer.,  p.  18,  note  a.  —  Beami/h. 

19  Hafgerdingar,    defcribed    by   an 


28  Icelandic  Sagas. 

fummer  of  the  fame  year  in  which  his  father  had  failed 
away  in  fpring.  Thefe  tidings  appeared  ferious  to  Bjarni, 
and  he  was  unwilling  to  unload  his  fhip.  Then  his  feamen 
afked  him  what  he  would  do  ;  he  anfwered  that  he  intended 
to  continue  his  cuftom,  and  pafs  the  winter  with  his  father : 
"  And  I  will,"  faid  he,  "  bear  for  Greenland,  if  ye  will  give 
me  your  company."  All  faid  that  they  would  follow  his 
counfel.  Then  faid  Bjarni :  "  Imprudent  will  appear  our 
voyage,  fmce  none  of  us  has  been  in  the  Greenland  ocean." 
However,  they  put  to  fea  fo  foon  as  they  were  ready,  and 
failed  for  three  days,  until  the  land  was  out  of  fight  under 
the  water ;  but  then  the  fair  wind  fell,  and  there  arofe  north 
winds  and  fogs,  and  they  knew  not  where  they  were ;  and 
thus  it  continued  for  many  days.  After  that  faw  they  the 
fun  again,  and  could  difcover  the  fky  ;  they  now  made  fail, 
and  failed  for  that  day,  before  they  faw  land,  and  counfelled 
with  each  other  about  what  land  that  could  be,  and  Bjarni 
faid  that  he  thought  it  could  not  be  Greenland.  They 
afked  whether  he  wifhed  to  fail  to  this  land  or  not.  "  My 
advice  is,"  faid  he,  "  to  fail  clofe  to  the  land ; "  and  fo  they 
did,  and  foon  faw  that  the  land  was  without  mountains,  and 
covered  with  wood,  and  had  fmall  heights.  Then  left  they 
the  land  on  their  larboard  fide,  and  let  the  ftern  turn  from 
the  land.  Afterwards  they  failed  two  days  before  they  faw 
another  land.  They  afked  if  Bjarni  thought  that  this  was 
Greenland,  but  he  faid  that  he  as  little  believed  this  to  be 
Greenland  as  the  other ;  "  becaufe  in  Greenland  are  faid  to 
be  very  high  ice-hills."  They  foon  approached  the  land, 
and  faw  that  it  was  a  flat  land  covered  with  wood.  Then  the 
fair  wind  fell,  and  the  failors  faid  that  it  feemed  to  them 

moft 


Icelandic  Sagas.  29 

moft  advifable  to  land  there  ;  but  Bjarni  was  unwilling  to  do 
fo.  They  pretended  that  they  were  in  want  of  both  wood 
and  water.  "  Ye  have  no  want  of  either  of  the  two,"  fa  id 
Bjarni ;  for  this,  however,  he  met  with  fome  reproaches 
from  the  failors.  He  bade  them  make  fail,  and  fo  was 
done ;  they  turned  the  prow  from  the  land,  and,  failing  out 
into  the  open  fea  for  three  days,  with  a  fouth-weft  wind,  faw 
then  the  third  land ;  and  this  land  was  high,  and  covered 
with  mountains  and  ice-hills.  Then  afked  they  whether 
Bjarni  would  land  there,  but  he  faid  that  he  would  not: 
"  for  to  me  this  land  appears  little  inviting."  Therefore  did 
they  not  lower  the  fails,  but  held  on  along  this  land,  and 
faw  that  it  was  an  ifland ;  again  turned  they  the  Hern  from 
the  land,  and  failed  out  into  the  fea  with  the  fame  fair  wind ; 
but  the  breeze  frefhened,  and  Bjarni  then  told  them  to 
fhorten  fail,  and  not  fail  fafter  than  their  fhip  and  fhip's 
gear  could  hold  out.  They  failed  now  four  days,20  when 
they  faw  the  fourth  land.  Then  afked  they  Bjarni  whether 
he  thought  that  this  was  Greenland  or  not.  Bjarni  an- 
fwered :  "  This  is  the  moft  like  Greenland,  according  to 
what  I  have  been  told  about  it,  and  here  will  we  fteer  for 
land."  So  did  they,  and  landed  in  the  evening  under  a 
nefs ;  and  there  was  a  boat  by  the  nefs,  and  jufl  here  lived 
Bjarni's  father,  and  from  him  has  the  nefs  taken  its  name, 
and  is  fince  called  Herjulfsnefs.  Bjarni  now  repaired  to  his 

father's, 

20  A   day's   fail    was    eftimated  by  ments  in  the  calculation  are  the  direc- 

the  Northmen  at  from  twenty-feven  to  tion   of   the  wind,  the  length  of  time 

thirty  geographical  miles.  —  Beamijh.  fpent    in    failing    from    one    point    to 

To  determine  what  coafts  were  vifited,  another,  the  diftance  paffed  over  in  a 

as  the  mariner's  compafs  had  not  then  given  time,  and  the  general  character 

been    difcovered,   the   important    ele-  of  the  countries  difcovered. 


3<D  Icelandic  Sagas. 

father's,  and  gave  up  feafaring,  and  was  with  his  father  fo 
long  as  Herjulf  lived,  and  afterwards  he  dwelt  there  after 
his  father. 


VOYAGE   OF   LEIF   ERIKSON. 
Here  beginneth  the  Narrative  of  the  Greenlanders. 

THE  next  thing  now  to  be  related  is,  that  Bjarni  Herjulf- 
fon  went  out  from  Greenland,  and  vifited  Erik  Jarl,21  and 
the  Jarl  received  him  well.  Bjarni  told  about  his  voyages, 
that  he  had  feen  unknown  lands,  and  people  thought  that 
he  had  mown  no  curiofity,  when  he  had  nothing  to  relate 
about  thefe  countries,  and  this  became  fomewhat  a  matter 
of  reproach  to  him.  Bjarni  became  one  of  the  Jarl's  cour- 
tiers, and  came  back  to  Greenland  the  fummer  after. 
There  was  now  much  talk  about  voyages  of  difcovery. 
Leif,  the  fon  of  Erik  the  Red,  of  Brattahlid,  went  to  Bjarni 
Herjulfson,  and  bought  the  fhip  of  him,  and  engaged  men 
for  it,  fo  that  there  were  thirty-five  men  in  all.  Leif  afked 
his  father  Erik  to  be  the  leader  on  the  voyage ;  but  Erik 
excufed  himfelf,  faying  that  he  was  now  pretty  well  ftricken 
in  years,  and  could  not  now,  as  formerly,  hold  out  all  the 
hardfhips  of  the  fea.  Leif  faid  that  ftill  he  was  the  one  of 
the  family  whom  good  fortune  would  fooneft  attend ;  and 
Erik  gave  in  to  Leif  s  requeft,  and  rode  from  home  fo  foon 
as  they  were  ready ;  and  it  was  but  a  fhort  way  to  the  fhip. 
The  horfe  {tumbled  that  Erik  rode,  and  he  fell  off,  and 

bruifed 

21  Erik,  Jaifl  (Earl)  of  Norway.  This     in   the   year  994.  —  Antiq.  Amer.,  p. 
is  fuppofe4  by  Rafn  to  have  happened     xxix.  — BeamiJJt. 


Icelandic  Sagas.  3 1 

bruifed  his  foot.  Then  faid  Erik,  "  It  is  not  ordained  that 
I  fhould  difcover  more  countries  than  that  which  we  now 
inhabit,  and  we  fhould  make  no  further  attempt  in  com- 
pany." Erik  went  home  to  Brattahlid ;  but  Leif  repaired 
to  the  fhip,  and  his  comrades  with  him,  thirty-five  men. 
There  was  a  fouthern22  on  the  voyage,  who  was  named 
Tyrker.  Now  prepared  they  their  fhip,  and  failed  out  into 
the  fea  when  they  were  ready,  and  then  found  that  land 
firft  which  Bjarni  had  found  laft.  There  failed  they  to  the 
land,  and  caft  anchor,  and  put  off  boats,  and  went  afhore, 
and  faw  there  no  grafs.  Great  icebergs  were  over  all  up 
the  country ;  but  like  a  plain  of  flat  ftones  was  all  from  the 
fea  to  the  mountains,  and  it  appeared  to  them  that  this 
land  had  no  good  qualities.  Then  faid  Leif,  "  We  have 
not  done  like  Bjarni  about  this  land,  that  we  have  not  been 
upon  it ;  now  will  I  give  the  land  a  name,  and  call  it  HEL- 
LULAND."23  Then  went  they  on  board,  and  after  that  failed 
out  to  fea,  and  found  another  land ;  they  failed  again  to  the 
land,  and  caft  anchor,  then  put  off  boats  and  went  on  fhore. 
This  land  was  flat,  and  covered  with  wood,  and  white  fands 
were  far  around  where  they  went,  and  the  fhore  was  low. 
Then  faid  Leif,  "  This  land  fhall  be  named  after  its  qualities, 
and  called  MARKLAND^  (woodland)."  They  then  imme- 
diately returned  to  the  fhip.  Now  failed  they  thence  into 
the  open  fea  with  a  north-eafl  wind,  and  were  two  days  at 

fea 

22  Sudrmadr,   fuppofed   to    mean   a  23  From  hella,  a  flat  ftone,  and  land, 

German,  as  the  terms  Sudrmenn  and  flat-ftone    land,   or    Helluland       Sup- 

Thydverfkirmenn    are  ufed   promifcu-  pofed  by  Profeffor  Rafn  to  be  New- 

oufly  to  diftinguifh  the  natives  of  Ger-  foundland. 

many,  by  old  Northern  writers.  —  An-  24  Nova   Scotia,  according  to  Pro- 

tiq.  Amer.,  p.  28,  note  a. — Beamijh.  feflbr  Ram. 


32  Icelandic  Sagas. 

fea  before  they  faw  land,  and  they  failed  thither  and  came 
to  an  ifland  which  lay  to  the  eaftward  of  the  land,25  and 
went  up  there,  and  looked  round  them  in  good  weather, 
and  obferved  that  there  was  dew  upon  the  grafs ;  and  it  fo 
happened  that  they  touched  the  dew  with  their  hands,  and 
raifed  the  fingers  to  the  mouth,  and  they  thought  that  they 
had  never  before  tafted  any  thing  fo  fweet. 

After  that  they  went  to  the  fhip,  and  failed  into  a  found, 
which  lay  between  the  ifland  and  a  nefs  (promontory),  which 
ran  out  to  the  eaflward  of  the  land ;  and  then  fleered  weft- 
wards  paft  the  nefs.  It  was  very  fhallow  at  ebb  tide,  and 
their  fhip  ftood  up,  fo  that  it  was  far  to  fee  from  the  fhip  to 
the  water. 

But  fo  much  did  they  defire  to  land,  that  they  did  not 
give  themfelves  time  to  wait  until  the  water  again  rofe 
under  their  fhip,  but  ran  at  once  on  more,  at  a  place  where 
a  river  flows  out  of  a  lake ;  but  fo  foon  as  the  waters  rofe 
up  under  the  fhip,  then  took  they  boats,  and  rowed  to  the 
fhip,  and  floated  it  up  to  the  river,  and  thence  into  the  lake, 
and  there  caft  anchor,  and  brought  up  from  the  fhip  their 
fkin  cots,26  and  made  there  booths.27 

After 

25  Literally  "  northward  of  the  land  "  fhip-board,  as  appears  in  the  Laxdasla 
(nordr  af  landinu)  ;    but   the    Editor  Saga,  p.  1 1 6,  where  Thurid  fays,  "hun 
(Profeffor  Rafn)  fhows  that  the  North-  gekk   at  hudfati   pvi,    er    Geirmundr 
men  placed  this  point  of  the  compafs  fvafi,"  —  "fhe  went  to  the  couch,  where 
nearly  in  the  pofition  of  our  eaft." —  Geirmund  flept."     It  thus  anfwers  to 
Antiq.  Amer.,  p.  428.  — Beamijh.  the  uter  of  the  Romans,  and  o-rpcB^aro- 

26  Hudfot,  from  httd,  fkin,  and  fat,  8eoyi«  of  the  Greeks. — Antiq.  Amer., 
a  cafe,  or  cover! ng,  being,  ftriftly  fpeak-  p.  31!  —  Idem. 

ing,  a  fkin  bag,  or  pouch,  in  which  the  27  Bi'idir,  f.  pi.  of  bud,  from  bua,  to 

ancients  were  accuftomed  to  keep  their  remain  or  inhabit ;  hence,  probably,  the 

clothes  and  other  articles  on  a  jour-  Eng.  booth.  — Idem. 
ney :  the  fame  was  ufed  for  a  bed  on 


Icelandic  Sagas.  33 

After  this  took  they  counfel,  and  formed  the  refolution 
of  remaining  there  for  the  winter,  and  built  there  large 
houfes.  There  was  no  want  of  falmon  either  in  the  river 
or  in  the  lake,  and  larger  falmon  than  they  had  before  feen. 
The  nature  of  the  country  was,  as  they  thought,  fo  good, 
that  cattle  would  not  require  houfe-f ceding  in  winter,  for 
there  came  no  froft  in  winter,  and  little  did  the  grafs  wither 
there.  Day  and  night  were  more  equal  than  in  Greenland 
or  Iceland,  for  on  the  fhorteft  day  was  the  fun  above  the 
horizon  from  half-past  feven  in  the  forenoon  till  half-part 
four  in  the  afternoon.28 

But  when  they  had  done  with  the  houfe-building,  Leif  faid 
to  his  comrades :  "  Now  will  I  divide  our  men  into  two  parts, 
and  have  the  land  explored ;  and  the  half  of  the  men  mall 
remain  at  home  at  the  houfe,  while  the  other  half  explore 
the  land ;  but,  however,  not  go  further  than  that  they  can 
come  home  in  the  evening,  and  they  mould  not  feparate." 
Now  they  did  fo  for  a  time,  and  Leif  changed  about,  fo 
that  the  one  day  he  went  with  them,  and  the  other  remained 
at  home  in  the  houfe.  Leif  was  a  great  and  ftrong  man, 
grave  and  well  favored,  therewith  fenfible  and  moderate  in 
all  things. 

LEIF  THE  LUCKY  FOUND  FOLK  UPON  A  ROCK  IN  THE  SEA. 

IT  happened  one  evening  that  a  man  of  the  party  was 
miffing,  and  this  was  Tyrker  the  German.  This  took  Leif 

much 

28  The  following  is  the  fubftance  of  been  elucidated  in  an  interefting  article 
a  valuable  note  introduced  by  Mr.  '  On  the  Ancient  Scandinavians'  Divi- 
Beamifli  in  loco:  "This  fubjecl;  has  fion  of  the  Time  of  the  Day,'  by  Finn 

5  Magnufen, 


34 


Icelandic  Sagas. 


much  to  heart,  for  Tyrker  had  been  long  with  his  father 
and  him,  and  loved  Leif  much  in  his  childhood.  Leif  now 
took  his  people  feverely  to  talk,  and  prepared  to  feek  for 
Tyrker,  and  took  twelve  men  with  him.  But  when  they 

had 


Magnufen,  publifhed  in  the  Memoirs 
of  the  Society  of  Northern  Antiqua- 
ries, by  which  it  appears  that  — 

"  The  ancient  Scandinavians  divided 
the  heavens  or  the  horizon  into  eight 
grand  divisions,  and  the  times  of  the 
day  according  to  the  fun's  apparent 
motion  through  thefe  divifions,  the 
paflage  through  each  of  which  they 
fuppofed  to  occupy  a  period  of  three 
hours.  The  day  was  therefore  divided 
into  portions  of  time  correfponding 
with  thefe  eight  divifions,  each  of  which 
was  called  an  eykt,  fignifying  an  eighth 
part.  This  eykt  was  again  divided, 
like  each  of  the  grand  divifions  of  the 
heavens,  into  two  fmaller  and  equal 
portions,  called  ftund,  or  mal.  In 
order  to  determine  thefe  divifions  of 
time,  the  inhabitants  of  each  place 
carefully  obferved  the  diurnal  courfe 
of  the  fun,  and  noted  the  terreftrial 
objects  over  which  it  feemed  to  ftand. 
Such  a  natural  or  artificial  object  was 
called  in  Iceland  dag f mark  (day- 
mark).  They  were  alfo  led  to  fix  thefe 
daymarks  by  a  divifion  of  the  horizon 
according  to  the  principal  winds,  as 
well  as  by  the  wants  of  their  domeftic 
economy :  the  fhepherd's  rifing  time, 
for  inftance,  was  called  Hirdis  rif- 
mdl,  which  correfponds  with  half-part  4 
o'clock,  A.M.  ;  and  this  was  the  begin- 
ning of  the  natural  day  (daegr)  of 
twenty-four  hours.  Reckoning  from 
the  hirdis  rifmdl,  the  eight  ftund,  or 
eighth  half  eykt,  terminated  exactly  at 
half-paft  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon ; 
and  therefore  this  particular  period 
was  called  WIT'  t&XW  EYKT.  This 
eykt,  ftrictly  fpeaking,  commenced  at 
3  o'clock,  P.M.,  and  ended  at  half-paft 


4,  P.M.,  when  it  was  faid  to  be  in 
eyktarftadr,  or  the  termination  of  the 
eykt.  The  precife  moment  that  the 
fun  appeared  in  this  place  indicated 
the  termination  of  the  artificial  day 
(dagr)  and  half  the  natural  day  (dasgr), 
and  was  therefore  held  efpecially  de- 
ferving  of  notice :  the  hours  of  labor, 
alfo,  are  fuppofed  to  have  ended  at  this 
time.  Six  o'clock,  A.M.,  was  called 
Midr  morgun;  half-part  7,  A.M.,  Dag- 
mal j  9,  A.M.,  Dagverdarmal,  &c. 
Winter  was  confidered  to  commence 
in  Iceland  about  the  iyth  October  ;  and 
Bifhop  Thorlacius,  the  calculator  of  the 
Aftronomical  Calendar,  fixes  funrife  in 
the  fouth  of  Iceland  on  the  i7th  Octo- 
ber, at  half-paft  7,  A.M.  At  this  hour, 
according  to  the  Saga,  it  rofe  in  Vin- 
land  on  the  fhorteft  day,  and  fet  at 
half-paft  4,  P.M.,  which  data  fix  the 
latitude  of  the  place  at  41°  43'  10".  — 
See  Antiq.  Amer.,  pp.  435-438,  Md- 
moires  de  la  Societt  Roy  ale  des  Anti- 
quaires  dti  Nord,  1836,  1837,  p.  165  ; 
and  Dial  of  the  Ancient  Northmen,  in 
Appendix  to  Beamifh.  Profeflbr  Rafn 
makes  the  latitude  from  the  above  data 
41°  24'  10"  [Antiq.  Amer.,  p.  436];  but 
if,  as  is  to  be  prefumed,  the  obferva- 
tion  was  made  when  the  fun  had  com- 
pletely rifen,  and  his  lower  edge  ap- 
peared to  touch  the  horizon,  it  could 
not  be  lefs  than  41°  43'  10"  :  however, 
the  difference  is  unimportant  as  re- 
gards the  locality,  for  nothing  more 
than  an  approximation  to  the  correct 
latitude  of  the  place  could  be  expected 
from  the  rude  method  of  calculating 
time  which  was  then  practifed  by  the 
Northmen."  Videpostea,  p.  126. 


Icelandic  Sagas.  35 

had  gotten  a  fhort  way  from  the  houfe,  then  came  Tyrker 
towards  them,  and  was  joyfully  received.  Leif  foon  faw 
that  his  fofter-father  was  not  in  his  right  fenfes.  Tyrker 
had  a  high  forehead  and  unfteady  eyes,  was  freckled  in  the 
face,  fmall  and  mean  in  ftature,  but  excellent  in  all  kinds 
of  artifice.  Then  faid  Leif  to  him :  "  Why  wert  thou  fo 
late,  my  fofterer,  and  feparated  from  the  party  ? "  He  now 
fpoke  firft,  for  a  long  time  in  German,  and  rolled  his  eyes 
about  to  different  fides,  and  twifted  his  mouth ;  but  they 
did  not  underftand  what  he  faid.  After  a  time  he  fpoke 
Norfk.29  "  I  have  not  been  much  further  off,  but  flill  have 
I  fomething  new  to  tell  of;  I  found  vines  and  grapes.'' 
"  But  is  that  true,  my  fofterer?  "  quoth  Leif.  "  Surely  is  it 
true,"  replied  he,  "  for  I  was  bred  up  in  a  land  where  there 
is  no  want  of  either  vines  or  grapes."  They  flept  now  for 
the  night,  but  in  the  morning  Leif  faid  to  his  failors:  "  We 
will  now  fet  about  two  things,  in  that  the  one  day  we  gather 
grapes,  and  the  other  day  cut  vines  and  fell  trees,  fo  from 
thence  will  be  a  loading  for  my  fhip ; "  and  that  was  the 
counfel  taken,  and  it  is  faid  their  long-boat  was  filled  with 
grapes.  Now  was  a  cargo  cut  down  for  the  fhip,  and  when 
the  fpring  came  they  got  ready,  and  failed  away;  and 
Leif  gave  the  land  a  name  after  its  qualities,  and  called  it 
VINLAND. 

They  failed  now  into  the  open  fea,  and  had  a  fair  wind 
until  they  faw  Greenland,  and  the  mountains  below  the 
joklers.  Then  a  man  put  in  his  word  and  faid  to  Leif: 

"Why 

29  Norraenu,  i.e.  the  Northern  tongue  den,  Iceland,  Greenland,  and  part  of 
(Donsk  tiinga),  being  the  language  then  Britain. — Antiq.  Amer.,  p.  35.  — Bea~ 
common  to  Denmark,  Norway,  Swe-  mijh. 


36  Icelandic  Sagas. 

"  Why  do  you  fleer  fo  clofe  to  the  wind  ?  "  Leif  anfwered  : 
"  I  attend  to  my  fleering,  and  fomething  more ;  and  can  ye 
not  fee  any  thing  ? "  They  anfwered  that  they  could  not 
obferve  any  thing  extraordinary.  "  I  know  not,"  faid  Leif, 
"  whether  I  fee  a  fliip  or  a  rock."  Now  looked  they,  and 
faid  it  was  a  rock.  But  he  faw  fo  much  fharper  than  they, 
that  he  perceived  there  were  men  upon  the  rock.  "  Now 
let  us,"  faid  Leif,  "  hold  our  wind,  fo  that  we  come  up  to 
them,  if  they  mould  want  our  affiflance ;  and  the  neceffity 
demands  that  we  mould  help  them ;  and  if  they  mould  not 
be  kindly  difpofed,  the  power  is  in  our  hands,  and  not  in 
theirs."  Now  failed  they  under  the  rock,  and  lowered  their 
fails,  and  cafl  anchor,  and  put  out  another  little  boat,  which 
they  had  with  them.  Then  afked  Tyrker  who  their  leader 
was.  He  called  himfelf  Thorer,  and  faid  he  was  a  North- 
man. "  But  what  is  thy  name  ?  "  faid  he.  Leif  told  his  name. 
"  Art  thou  a  fon  of  Erik  the  Red,  of  Brattahlid  ? "  quoth  he. 
Leif  anfwered  that  fo  it  was.  "  Now  will  I,"  faid  Leif, 
"  take  ye  all  on  board  my  fhip,  and  as  much  of  the  goods 
as  the  fhip  can  hold."  They  accepted  the  offer,  and  failed 
thereupon  to  Eriksfjord  with  the  cargo;  and  thence  to 
Brattahlid,  where  they  unloaded  the  fhip.  After  that,  Leif 
invited  Thorer  and  his  wife  Gudrid,  and  three  other  men 
to  flop  with  him,  and  got  berths  for  the  other  feamen,  as 
well  Thorer's  as  his  own,  elfewhere.  Leif  took  fifteen  men 
from  the  rock ;  he  was,  after  that,  called  Leif  the  Lucky. 
Leif  had  now  earned  both  riches  and  refpecl.  The  fame 
winter  came  a  heavy  ficknefs  among  Thorer's  people,  and 
carried  off  as  well  Thorer  himfelf  as  many  of  his  men. 
This  winter  died  alfo  Erik  the  Red.  Now  was  there  much 

talk 


Icelandic  Sagas.  37 

talk  about  Leif's  voyage  to  Vinland;  and  Thorvald,  his 
brother,  thought  that  the  land  had  been  much  too  little 
explored.  Then  faid  Leif  to  Thorvald :  "  Thou  canft  go 
with  my  fhip,  brother,  if  thou  wilt,  to  Vinland ;  but  I  wifh 
firft  that  the  fhip  fhould  go  and  fetch  the  timber,  which 
Thorer  had  upon  the  rock ; "  and  fo  was  done. 


THORVALD    REPAIRS    TO   VINLAND. 

Now  Thorvald  made  ready  for  this  voyage  with  thirty 
men,  and  took  counfel  thereon  with  Leif,  his  brother. 
Then  made  they  their  fhip  ready,  and  put  to  fea,  and 
nothing  is  told  of  their  voyage  until  they  came  to  Leif's 
booths,  in  Vinland.  There  they  laid  up  their  fhip,  and 
fpent  a  pleafant  winter,30  and  caught  fifh  for  their  fupport. 
But  in  the  fpring,  faid  Thorvald,  they  mould  make 
ready  the  fhip,  and  fome  of  the  men  fhould  take  the 
fhip's  long-boat  round  the  weftern  part  of  the  land,  and 
explore  there  during  the  fummer.  To  them  appeared  the 
land  fair  and  woody,  and  but  a  fhort  diftance  between  the 
wood  and  the  fea,  and  white  fands;  there  were  many 
iflands,  and  much  mallow  water.  They  found  neither 
dwellings  of  men  or  beafts,  except  upon  an  ifland,  to  the 
weflward,  where  they  found  a  corn-fhed  of  wood;31  but 
many  works  of  men  they  found  not ;  and  they  then  went 
back  and  came  to  Leif's  booths  in  the  autumn.  But  the 

next 

30  Probably  in  A.D.  1002,  1003.  fhed  ;  which  fignification  alfo  obtains  in 

31  Kornhjdlm  afire",  from  korn,  corn,     the  Danifh  language.  —  Antiq,  Amer., 
and  hjalmr,  a  covering,  hence  helmet-    p.  41,  note  a.  —  Beami/h. 

81678 


38  Icelandic  Sagas. 

next  fummer 32  went  Thorvald  eaftward  with  the  fhip,  and 
round  the  land  to  the  northward.  Here  came  a  heavy 
ftorm  upon  them  when  off  a  nefs,  fo  that  they  were 
driven  on  more,  and  the  keel  broke  off  from  the  fhip,  and 
they  remained  here  a  long  time,  and  repaired  their  fhip. 
Then  faid  Thorvald  to  his  companions :  "  Now  will  I  that 
we  fix  up  the  keel  here  upon  the  nefs,  and  call  it  Keelnefs 
(Kjalarnefs),  and  fo  did  they.  After  that  they  failed  away 
round  the  eaftern  fhores  of  the  land,  and  into  the  mouths 
of  the  friths,  which  lay  neareft  thereto,  and  to  a  point  of 
land  which  ftretched  out,  and  was  covered  all  over  with 
wood.  There  they  came  to  with  the  fhip,  and  moved  out 
a  plank  to  the  land,  and  Thorvald  went  up  the  country 
with  all  his  companions.  He  then  faid :  "  Here  is  beautiful, 
and  here  would  I  like  to  raife  my  dwelling."  Then  went 
they  to  the  fhip,  and  faw  upon  the  fands  within  the  promon- 
tory three  elevations,  and  went  thither,  and  faw  there  three 
fkin  boats  (canoes),  and  three  men  under  each.  Then  di- 
vided they  their  people,  and  caught  them  all,  except  one, 
who  got  away  with  his  boat.  They  killed  the  other  eight, 
and  then  went  back  to  the  cape,  and  looked  round  them, 
and  faw  fome  heights  infide  of  the  frith,  and  fuppofed 
that  thefe  were  dwellings.  After  that,  fo  great  a  drowfinefs 
came  upon  them  that  they  could  not  keep  awake,  and  they 
all  fell  afleep.  Then  came  a  fhout  over  them,  fo  that  they 
all  awoke.  Thus  faid  the  fhout:  "Wake  thou,  Thorvald! 
and  all  thy  companions,  if  thou  wilt  preferve  life,  and  return 
thou  to  thy  fhip,  with  all  thy  men,  and  leave  the  land  with- 
out delay,"  Then  rufhed  out  from  the  interior  of  the  frith 

an 

32  Probably  A.D.  1004. 


Icelandic  Sagas.  39 

an  innumerable  crowd  of  fkin  boats,  and  made  towards 
them.  Thorvald  faid  then :  "  We  will  put  out  the  battle- 
fkreen,33  and  defend  ourfelves  as  well  as  we  can,  but  fight 
little  againft  them."  So  did  they ;  and  the  Skraelings  ^  mot 
at  them  for  a  time,  but  afterwards  ran  away,  each  as  faft  as 
he  could.  Then  afked  Thorvald  his  men  if  they  had  gotten 
any  wounds ;  they  anfwered  that  no  one  was  wounded.  "  I 
have  gotten  a  wound  under  the  arm,"  faid  he,  "for  an 
arrow  fled  between  the  edge  of  the  fliip  and  the  fhield,  in 
under  my  arm  ;  and  here  is  the  arrow,  and  it  will  prove  a 
mortal  wound  to  me.  Now  counfel  I  ye,  that  ye  get  ready 
inftantly  to  depart,  but  ye  fhall  bear  me  to  that  cape,  where 
I  thought  it  befl  to  dwell ;  it  may  be  that  a  true  word  fell 
from  my  mouth,  that  I  mould  dwell  there  for  a  time ;  there 
fhall  ye  bury  me,  and  fet  up  croffes  at  my  head  and  feet, 
and  call  the  place  KROSSANESS,  for  ever  in  all  time  to 
come."  Greenland  was  then  Chriftianized,  but  Erik  the 
Red  died  before  Chriftianity  was  introduced.  Now  Thor- 
vald died;  but  they  did  all  things  according  to  his  di- 
rections, and  then  went  away,  and  returned  to  their 
companions,  and  told  to  each  other  the  tidings  which  they 
knew,  and  dwelt  there  for  the  winter,  and  gathered  grapes 
and  vines  to  load  the  fhip.  But  in  the  fpring  x  they  made 

ready 

88  Vigfleka,    from   vig,   battle,   and  landic  authors  ;  and  others  deducing  it 

fleki,  or  flaki,  flat  and  broad  ;  hence  a  fromfarcela,  to  make  dry,  in  allufion  to 

fhield  made  of  large  planks  of  wood. —  their  withered  appearance.     The  word 

Beami/h.  Jkrakja,  to  cry  out,  has  alfo  been  given 

84  Skraelingar.     Various  definitions  as   the   etymology  of  the   term,  from 

have   been   given  of  this   term,  fome  their  habit  of  fhouting. — Antiq.Amer., 

authors  attributing  it  to  the  low  ftature  p.  45,  note  a.  — Idem. 
of  the  Efquimaux,  who  are  alfo  called        85  Doubtlefs  A.D.  1005. 
Smcelingar  (diminutive  men)  by  Ice- 


40  Icelandic  Sagas. 

ready  to  fail  to  Greenland,  and  came  with  their  fhip  in 
Eriksfjord,  and  could  now  tell  great  tidings  to  Leif. 


THORSTEIN    ERIKSON    DIES    IN    THE    WESTERN    SETTLEMENT. 

MEANTIME  it  had  happened  in  Greenland,  that  Thorftein 
in  Eriksfjord  married  Gudrid,  Thorbjorn's  daughter,  who  had 
been  formerly  married  to  Thorer  the  Eaftman,36  as  is  before 
related.  Now  Thorftein  Erikfon  conceived  a  defire  to  go 
to  Vinland  after  the  body  of  Thorvald  his  brother ;  and  he 
made  ready  the  fame  fhip,  and  chofe  great  and  ftrong  men 
for  the  crew,  and  had  with  him  twenty-five  men,  and 
Gudrid  his  wife.  They  failed  away  fo  foon  as  they  were 
ready,  and  came  out  of  fight  of  the  land.  They  drove  about 
in  the  fea  the  whole  fummer,  and  knew  not  where  they  were ; 
and  when  the  firft  week  of  winter37  was  paft,  then  landed 
they  in  Lyfefjord  in  Greenland,  in  the  weftern  fettlement. 
Thorftein  fought  fhelter  for  them,  and  procured  lodging 
for  all  his  crew ;  but  he  himfelf  and  his  wife  were  without 
lodging,  and  they,  therefore,  remained  fome  two  nights  in 
the  fhip.  Then  was  Chriftianity  yet  new  in  Greenland.38 
Now  it  came  to  pafs  one  day  that  fome  people  repaired  early 
in  the  morning  to  their  tent,  and  the  leader  of  the  party  afked 
who  was  in  the  tent.  Thorftein  anfwered :  "  Here  are  two 

perfons 

36  Auftmadr.     Such  were  the  Nor-  amongft  the   Icelanders,  they  confid- 

wegians  often  called  by  the   Iceland-  ered   winter  to   commence  about  the 

ers,  Norway  lying  to  the  eaft  of  their  I7th  Oflober.  — Finn  Magnufen,  Ap. 

ifland.  —  Antiq.  Amer.,  p.  47,  note  a.  M£m.  des  Antiq.  du  Nord,  1836,  1837, 

—  Beamijk.  p.  179.  —  Idem. 

87  Whilft  the  Julian  calendar,  intro-        w  Probably  in  A.D.  1005. 
duced   after   Chriftianity,   was   in  ufe 


Icelandic  Sagas.  41 

perfons,  but  who  afks  the  queftion  ? "  "  Thorftein  is  my 
name,"  faid  the  other,  "and  I  am  called  Thorftein  the 
Black,  but  my  bufmefs  here  is  to  bid  ye  both,  thou  and  thy 
wife,  to  come  and  ftop  at  my  houfe."  Thorftein  faid  that 
he  would  talk  the  matter  over  with  his  wife ;  but  me  told 
him  to  decide,  and  he  accepted  the  bidding.  "  Then  will 
I  come  after  ye  in  the  morning  with  horfes,  for  I  want 
nothing  to  entertain  ye  both ;  but  it  is  very  wearifome  at 
my  houfe,  for  we  are  there  but  two,  I  and  my  wife,  and  I 
am  very  morofe ;  I  have  alfo  a  different  religion  from  yours, 
and  yet  hold  I  that  for  the  better  which  ye  have."  Now 
came  he  after  them  in  the  morning  with  horfes,  and  they 
went  to  lodge  with  Thorftein  the  Black,  who  fhewed  them 
every  hofpitality.  Gudrid  was  a  grave  and  dignified 
woman,  and  therewith  fenfible,  and  knew  well  how  to 
carry  herfelf  among  ftrangers.  Early  that  winter  came 
ficknefs  amongft  Thorftein  Erikfon's  men,  and  there  died 
many  of  his  people.  Thorftein  had  coffins  made  for  the 
bodies  of  thofe  who  died,  and  caufed  them  to  be  taken  out 
to  the  fhip,  and  there  laid ;  "  for  I  will,"  faid  he,  "  have  all 
the  bodies  taken  to  Eriksfjord  in  the  fummer."  Now  it 
was  not  long  before  the  ficknefs  came  alfo  into  Thorftein's 
houfe,  and  his  wife,  who  was  called  Grimhild,  took  the  fick- 
nefs firft :  fhe  was  very  large,  and  ftrong  as  a  man,  but  ftill 
did  the  ficknefs  mafter  her.  And  foon  after  that,  the  difeafe 
attacked  Thorftein  Erikfon,  and  they  both  lay  ill  at  the 
fame  time ;  and  Grimhild,  the  wife  of  Thorftein  the  Black, 
died.  But  when  fhe  was  dead,  then  went  Thorftein  out  of 
the  room  after  a  plank  to  lay  the  body  upon.  Then  faid 
Gudrid :  "  Stay  not  long  away,  my  Thorftein ! "  He  an- 

6  fwered 


42  Icelandic  Sagas. 

fwered  that  fo  it  fhould  be.  Then  faid  Thorftein  Erikfon : 
"Strangely  now  is  our  houfe-mother39  going  on,  for  fhe 
pufhes  herfelf  up  on  her  elbows,  and  ftretches  her  feet  out 
of  bed,  and  feels  for  her  fhoes."  At  that  moment  came  in 
the  huf  band  Thorftein,  and  Grimhild  then  lay  down,  and 
every  beam  in  the  room  creaked.  Now  Thorftein  made  a 
coffin  for  Grimhild's  body,  and  took  it  out,  and  buried  it ; 
but  although  he  was  a  large  and  powerful  man,  it  took  all 
his  ftrength  to  bring  it  out  of  the  place.  Now  the  ficknefs 
attacked  Thorftein  Erikfon,  and  he  died,  which  his  wife 
Gudrid  took  much  to  heart.  They  were  then  all  in  the 
room ;  Gudrid  had  taken  her  feat  upon  a  chair  beyond  the 
bench,  upon  which  Thorftein,  her  huf  band,  had  lain ;  then 
Thorftein  the  hoft  took  Gudrid  from  the  chair  upon  his 
knees,  and  fat  down  with  her  upon  another  bench,  juft 
oppofite  Thorftein's  body.  He  comforted  her  in  many 
ways,  and  cheered  her  up,  and  promifed  to  go  with  her  to 
Eriksfjord  with  her  hufband's  body  and  thofe  of  his  com- 
panions ;  "  and  I  will  alfo,"  added  he,  "  bring  many  fervants 
to  comfort  and  amufe  thee."  She  thanked  him.  Then 
Thorftein  Erikfon  fat  himfelf  up  on  the  bench,  and  faid : 
"  Where  is  Gudrid  ? "  Three  times  faid  he  that,  but  fhe 
anfwered  not.  Then  faid  fhe  to  Thorftein  the  hoft :  "  Shall 
I  anfwer  his  queftions,  or  not  ? "  He  counfelled  her  not  to 
anfwer.  After  this  went  Thorftein  the  hoft  acrofs  the 
floor,  and  fat  himfelf  on  a  chair,  but  Gudrid  fat  upon  his 
knees,  and  he  faid :  "  What  wilt  thou,  Namefake  ? "  After 
a  little  he  anfwered :  "  I  wifh  much  to  tell  Gudrid  her 
fortune,  in  order  that  fhe  may  be  the  better  reconciled  to 

my 
39  Husfreyju. 


Icelandic  Sagas.  43 

my  death,  for  I  have  now  come  to  a  good  refting-place ; 
but  this  can  I  tell  thee,  Gudrid,  that  thou  wilt  be  married 
to  an  Icelander,  and  ye  mail  live  long  together,  and  have 
a  numerous  pofterity,  powerful,  diftinguifhed,  and  excellent, 
fweet  and  well  favored ;  ye  mail  remove  from  Greenland  to 
Norway,  and  from  thence  to  Iceland ;  there  mail  ye  live 
long,  and  thou  malt  outlive  him.  Then  wilt  thou  go 
abroad,  and  travel  to  Rome,  and  come  back  again  to 
Iceland,  to  thy  houfe ;  and  then  will  a  church  be  built,  and 
thou  wilt  refide  there,  and  become  a  nun,  and  there  wilt 
thou  die."40  And  when  he  had  faid  thefe  words,  Thorftein 
fell  back,  and  his  corpfe  was  fet  in  order,  and  taken  to  the 
fhip.  Now  Thorftein  the  hoft  kept  well  all  the  promifes 
which  he  had  made  to  Gudrid ;  in  fpring 41  he  fold  his 
farm,  and  his  cattle,  and  betook  himfelf  to  the  fhip,  with 
Gudrid,  and  all  that  he  poffeffed ;  he  made  ready  the  fhip, 
and  procured  men  therefor,  and  then  failed  to  Eriks- 
fjord.  The  bodies  were  now  buried  by  the  Church.  Gudrid 
repaired  to  Leif  in  Brattahlid ;  but  Thorftein  the  Black  made 
himfelf  a  dwelling  at  Eriksfjord,  and  dwelt  there  fo  long  as 
he  lived,  and  was  looked  upon  as  a  very  able  man. 

Vinland 

40  This  prophetic  announcement  of  ticity."  —  Abftratt  of  Eyrbyggia  Saga, 

Thorftein  Erikfon  is  highly  character-  Mifcell.    Profe  Works,  Vol.  V.  p.  365. 

iftic  of  the  fuperftition  of    the  times,  This  intereftingabftractfirft  appeared  in 

and,  although  pertaining  to  the  mar-  "  Illuftrations  of  Northern  Antiquities," 

vellous,  is  not  the   lefs    corroborative  4to,  Edinburgh,    1814,  a  work  of  high 

of   the   authenticity   of  the   narrative,  value  and  great  promife,  but  which  the 

"  Such    incidents,"    fays    Sir    Walter  want  of  public  fupport  compelled  the 

Scott,  "  make  an  invariable  part  of  the  diftinguifhed  compilers  and  antiquaries, 

hiftory  of  a  rude  age,  and  the  chroni-  Jamiefon  and  Weber,  to  difcontinue. — 

cles  which  do  not  afford  thefe  marks  Beamifti. 

of  human  credulity  may  be  grievoufly  41  A.D.  1006. 
fufpefted  as  being  deficient  in  authen- 


44  Icelandic  Sagas. 


VINLAND   THE   GOOD    IS    DISCOVERED. 

From  the  Heimfkringla,  or  Hi/lory  of  the  Norwegian  Kings,  according  to  the 
id  Vellum  Codex  of  the  Arnce-Magneean  Collection,  No.  45,  Folio. 

THE  fame  winter42  was  Leif,  the  fon  of  Erik  the  Red, 
with  King  Olaf,  in  good  repute,  and  embraced  Chriftianity. 
But  the  fummer  that  Giffur  went  to  Iceland,  King  Olaf  fent 
Leif  to  Greenland,  in  order  to  make  known  Chriftianity 
there ;  he  failed  the  fame  fummer  to  Greenland.  He  found, 
in  the  fea,  fome  people  on  a  wreck,  and  helped  them ;  the 
fame  time  difcovered  he  Vinland  the  Good,  and  came  in 
harveft  to  Greenland.  He  had  with  him  a  prieft,  and  other 
clerks,  and  went  to  dwell  at  Brattahlid  with  Erik,  his  father. 
Men  called  him  afterwards  Leif  the  Lucky ;  but  Erik,  his 
father,  faid  that  thefe  two  things  went  one  againft  the  other, 
inafmuch  as  Leif  had  faved  the  crew  of  the  fhip,  but 
brought  evil  men  to  Greenland;  namely,  the  priefts. 

LEIF  CHRISTIANIZES   GREENLAND. 

From  the  Hi/lory  of  Olaf  Tryggvafon,  Chap.  231,  id  Vellum  Codex  of  Arntz- 
Magncean  Collection,  No.  61,  54,  53,  Folio. 

THE  fame  fpring  fent  King  Olaf,  as  is  before  related, 
Giffur  and  Hjelte  to  Iceland.  Then  fent  the  king  alfo 
Leif  Erikfon  to  Greenland  to  make  known  Chriftianity 

there. 

*2  The  fame  year  that  he  fent  Giffur  country;  viz.,A.D.  1000.  —  VideLaing's 
and  Hiate  to  Iceland,  when  Chriftian-  Heimjkringla,  London,  1844,  Vol.  I. 
ity  was  introduced  by  law  into  that  p.  465 ;  also  antea,  note  3. 


Icelandic  Sagas.  45 

there.43  The  king  gave  him  a  prieft,  and  fome  other  holy 
men,  to  baptize  the  people  there,  and  teach  them  the  true 
faith.  Leif  failed  that  fummer  to  Greenland ;  he  took  up 
in  the  fea  the  men  of  a  fliip  which  was  entirely  loft,  and 
lay  a  complete  broken  wreck ;  and  on  this  fame  voyage 
difcovered  he  Vinland  the  Good,  and  came  in  the  end  of 
the  fummer  to  Greenland,  and  went  to  live  at  Brattahlid 
with  Erik,  his  father.  People  called  him  afterwards  Leif 
the  Lucky ;  but  Erik  his  father  faid  that  thefe  two  things 
went  againft  each  other,  fmce  Leif  had  affifted  the  crew  of 
the  fhip,  and  faved  them  from  death,  and  that  he  had 
brought  injurious  men  (fo  called  he  the  priefls)  to  Green- 
land ;  but  ftill,  after  the  counfel  and  inftigation  of  Leif,  was 
Erik  baptized,  and  all  the  people  in  Greenland. 


SAGA  OF  THORFINN  KARLSEFNE." 

Genealogy  of  Thorfinn  Karlfefne,   his   Voyage  to  Greenland,  and  Marriage 
with  Gudrid,  the  Widow  of  Thorflein  Erikfon. 

CONCERNING   THORD    OF    HOFDA. 

THERE  was  a  man  named  Thord,  who  lived  at  Hofda  in 
Hofda  ftrand;  he  married   Fridgerda,  daughter  of  Thorer 

Hyma, 

43  For  the  rigorous  manner  in  which  name  of  Karlfefne  ;  /.*.,  deftined  to  be- 
King  Olaf  reduced  his  fubjefts  to  the  come  a  great  man.     This  diftinguifhed 
Chriftian    faith,    fee    Laing's    Heimf-  individual  was  a  wealthy  and  powerful 
kringla,  London,  1844,  Vol.  I.  Saga  VI.  Icelandic    merchant,    defcended    from 

44  Next  in  importance   and   intereft  an  illuftrious  line  of  Danifh,  Swedifh, 
to  the  Saga  of  Erik  the  Red  is  that  Norwegian,   Irifh,  and  Scottifh  ancef- 
of  Thorfinn,  with  the  fignificant  fur-  tors,  fome  of  whom  were  kings,  or  of 

royal 


46 


Icelandic  Sagas. 


Hyma,  and  Fridgerda,  daughter  of  Kjarval,  king  of  the  Irifh. 
Thord  was  the  fon  of  Bjarni  Byrdufmjor,  fon  of  Thorvald 
Ryg,  fon  of  Afleik,  fon  of  Bjarni  Jarnfid,  fon  of  Ragnar 
Lodbrok.  They  had  a  fon  called  Snorri ;  he  married 
Thorhild  Rjupa,  daughter  of  Thord  Cellar;  their  fon  was 
Thord  Hefthofdi.  Thord's  fon  was  named  THORFINN 
KARLSEFNE  ;  Thorfinn's  mother  was  called  Thorum.  Thor- 
finn  took  to  trading  voyages,  and  was  thought  an  able 
feaman  and  merchant.  One  fummer  Karlfefne  fitted  out 
his  fhip,  and  purpofed  a  voyage  to  Greenland.  Snorri 
Thorbrandfon,  of  Alptafjord,  went  with  him,  and  there  were 
forty  men  in  the  fhip.  There  was  a  man  called  Bjarni 

Grimolfspn, 


royal  blood.  The  narrative  of  his  ex- 
ploits is  taken  from  two  ancient  Ice- 
landic MSS.  not  previoufly  known  to 
the  literati,  and  one  of  which,  there  is 
every  reafon  to  believe,  is  a  genuine 
autograph  of  the  celebrated  Hauk 
Erlendfon,  who  was  lagman,  or  chief 
governor,  of  Iceland  in  1295,  and  one 
of  the  compilers  of  the  Landndmabdk  : 
he  was  alfo  a  defcendant  of  Karlfefne 
in  the  ninth  generation.  This  very  re- 
markable Saga  forms  part  of  the  Arnae- 
Magnasan  Collection,  and  betides  fhort 
notices  of  the  difcoveries  of  the  ear- 
lier voyagers,  which  are  more  fully 
defcribed  in  the  Saga  of  Erik  the  Red, 
gives  detailed  accounts  of  voyages  to 
and  difcoveries  in  America,  carried  on 
by  Karlfefne  and  his  companions  for  a 
period  of  three  years,  commencing  in 
1007.  Some  difcrepancies  and  mifno- 
mers  appear  in  thofe  parts  of  the  nar- 
rative which  treat  of  the  perfonages 
and  events  recorded  in  the  preceding 
Saga ;  but  they  are  only  fuch  as  to  pre- 
clude all  fufpicion  of  confederacy  or 
fraud  on  the  part  of  the  writers,  as  all 


the  main  fatts  are  fubftantially  the 
fame  in  both  ;  and  the  circumftance  of 
the  Saga  of  Erik  having  been  written 
in  Greenland,  while  that  of  Karlfefne 
was  written  in  Iceland,  is  fufficient  to 
account  for  thefe  variations.  The  fame 
circumftance,  alfo,  renders  the  former 
the  beft  authority  in  all  matters  of  de- 
tail connected  with  Greenland,  while 
the  other  muft  be  confidered  more  cor- 
rect: refpecting  occurrences  relating  to 
Iceland.  Thefe  differences  are  pointed 
out  in  the  notes ;  and  where  any  minor 
points  of  interefting  detail  connected 
with  the  voyage  of  Karlfefne  appear  in 
the  Saga  of  Erik  the  Red,  while  they 
are  abfent  in  Karlfefne's  Saga,  they 
have  been  fupplied  from  that  of  Erik, 
the  interpolation  being  pointed  out. 

Torfaeus  imagined  that  the  Saga 
of  Thorfinn  Karlfefne  was  loft,  and  the 
only  knowlege  he  had  of  its  contents 
was  derived  from  fome  corrupt  extracts 
contained  in  the  collection  of  materials 
for  the  hiftory  of  ancient  Greenland, 
left  by  the  Icelandic  yeoman,  Bjorn 
Johnfon  of  Skardfo.  — Beami/h. 


Icelandic  Sagas.  47 

Grimolfson,  of  Breidafjord ;  another  called  Thorhall  Gam- 
lafon,  an  Eaftfjordifh  man ;  they  fitted  out  their  fhip  the 
fame  fummer  for  Greenland :  there  were  alfo  forty  men  in 
the  fhip.  Karlfefne  and  the  others  put  to  fea  with  thefe 
two  mips,  fo  foon  as  they  were  ready.  Nothing  is  told 
about  how  long  they  were  at  fea,  but  it  is  to  be  related  that 
both  thefe  mips  came  to  Eriksfjord  in  the  autumn.45  Erik46 
rode  to  the  fhip  together  with  feveral  of  the  inhabitants, 
and  they  began  to  deal  in  a  friendly  manner.  Both  the 
mips'  captains  begged  Erik  (Leif)  to  take  as  much  of  the 
goods  as  he  wifhed ;  but  Erik  (Leif),  on  his  fide,  mowed 
them  hofpitality,  and  bade  the  crews  of  thefe  two  fliips 
home,  for  the  winter,  to  his  own  houfe  at  Brattahlid.  This 
the  merchants  accepted,  and  thanked  him.  Then  were 
their  goods  removed  to  Brattahlid ;  there  was  no  want  of 
large  out-houfes  to  keep  the  goods  in,  neither  plenty  of 
every  thing  that  was  required :  wherefore  they  were  well 
fatisfied  in  the  winter.  But  towards  Yule  Erik  (Leif)  began 
to  be  filent,  and  was  lefs  cheerful  than  he  ufed  to  be.  One 
time  turned  Karlfefne  towards  Erik  (Leif)  and  faid :  "  Haft 
thou  any  forrow,  Erik,  my  friend  ?  people  think  to  fee  that 
thou  art  lefs  cheerful  than  thou  wert  wont  to  be ;  thou  haft 

entertained 

46  A.D.  1006.  been  written  in  Greenland,  and  that  of 

46  This    is    evidently    a    mifnomer  Thorfinn   Karlfefne  in   Iceland,  which 

throughout   the    Saga,  and  fhould   be  will  account  for  this  and  other  difcre- 

Leif ,  who  was  now  in  pofleflion  of  the  pancies  between  the  two  narratives.  — 

paternal  eftate,  his  father  Erik  having  Beamijh. 

died,    as    flated   in   the   former  narra-          This  does  not  feem  to  us  to  account 

tive,  the  winter  after  Leif's  return  from  for  this  error.     That  it  was  an  error  is 

Vinland  (1001),  and  confequently  five  obvious.     The    manner   in   which  the 

years  previous  to  the  events  recorded  Sagas  came  into  written  form  furnifh 

here.     The  Saga  of  Erik  the  Red,  it  numberlefs  ways  in  which  errors  might 

muft  be  recollected,  appears  to  have  creep  in. — Vide  Introduction. 


48  Icelandic  Sagas. 

entertained  us  with  the  greateft  fplendor,  and  we  are 
bound  to  return  it  to  thee  with  fuch  fervices  as  we  can  com- 
mand ;  fay  now,  what  troubles  thee  ?  "  Erik  (Leif)  anfvvered : 
"  Ye  are  friendly  and  thankful,  and  I  have  no  fear  as  con- 
cerns our  intercourfe,  that  ye  will  feel  the  want  of  attention ; 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  I  fear  that  when  ye  come  elfewhere 
it  will  be  faid  that  ye  have  never  paffed  a  worfe  Yule  than 
that  which  now  approaches,  when  Erik  the  Red  entertained 
ye  at  Brattahlid,  in  Greenland."  "  It  mail  not  be  fo,  Yeo- 
man ! "  faid  Karlfefne  ;  "  we  have  in  our  fhip  both  malt  and 
corn ;  take  as  much  as  thou  delireft  thereof,  and  make 
ready  a  feaft  as  grand  as  thou  wilt ! "  This  Erik  (Leif) 
accepted ;  and  now  preparation  was  made  for  the  feaft  of 
Yule,  and  this  feaft  was  fo  grand  that  people  thought  they 
had  hardly  ever  feen  the  like  pomp  in  a  poor  land.  And 
after  Yule,  Karlfefne  difclofed  to  Erik  (Leif)  that  he  wifhed 
to  marry  Gudrid,  for  it  feemed  to  him  as  if  he  muft  have 
the  power  in  this  matter.  Erik  anfwered  favorably,  and 
faid  that  fhe  muft  follow  her  fate,  and  that  he  had  heard 
nothing  but  good  of  him ;  and  it  ended  fo  that  Thorfinn 
married  Thurid  (Gudrid) ;  and  then  was  the  feaft  extended  ; 
and  their  marriage  was  celebrated ;  and  this  happened  at 
Brattahlid,  in  the  winter. 

THE    VINLAND    VOYAGE. 

IN  Brattahlid  began  people  to  talk  much  about,  that 
Vinland  the  Good  mould  be  explored,  and  it  was  faid  that 
a  voyage  thither  would  be  particularly  profitable  by  reafon 
of  the  fertility  of  the  land ;  and  it  went  fo  far  that  Karlfefne 

and 


Icelandic  Sagas.  49 

and  Snorri  made  ready  their  fliip  to  explore  the  land  in  the 
fpring.  With  them  went  alfo  the  before-named  men  called 
Bjarni  and  Thorhall,  with  their  fhip.  There  was  a  man  called 
Thorvard ;  he  married  Freydis,  a  natural  daughter  of  Erik 
the  Red ;  he  went  alfo  with  them,  and  Thorvald  the  fon  of 
Erik,47  and  Thorhall  who  was  called  the  hunter ;  he  had 
long  been  with  Erik,  and  ferved  him  as  huntfman  in  fum- 
mer,  and  fteward  in  winter ;  he  was  a  large  man,  and  ftrong, 
black,  and  like  a  giant,  Client  and  foul-mouthed  in  his  fpeech, 
and  always  egged  on  Erik  to  the  worft:  he  was  a  bad 
Chriftian :  he  was  well  acquainted  with  uninhabited  parts : 
he  was  in  the  fhip  with  Thorvard  and  Thorvald.  They 
had  the  fliip  which  Thorbjorn  had  brought  out  [from  Ice- 
land]. They  had  in  all  one  hundred  and  fixty  men48  when 
they  failed  to  the  weflern  fettlement,  and  from  thence  to 
Bjanney.  Then  failed  they  two  days  to  the  fouth ;  then 
faw  they  land,  and  put  off  boats,  and  explored  the  land, 
and  found  there  great  flat  ftones,  many  of  which  were  twelve 

ells 

47  Here  is  again  evidently  fome  con-  48  Literally   "40    men   and   a  hun- 

fufion  of  names,  as  Thorvald  Erikfon's  dred"   [40   manna   oh   hundrad],  but 

death   has  been  previoufly  related  in  the  great    or   long  hundred  muft  be 

the  Saga  of  Erik  the  Red,  and  Karl-  underftood,   confifting  of  12  decades, 

fefne  was  now  married  to  his  widow  or  120.  —  Antiq.  Amer.,  p.  137,  note  b. 

Gudricl :  it  feems  probable  that  fome  Thus  Tegner,  defcribing  the  drinking 

other  Thorvald  accompanied  Karlfefne  hall  of  Frithiof :  — 
on  this  voyage.  —  See  Antiq.  Amer,, 

Prafatio,  p.  xiv.  "Ei  femhundrade  man  [til  tio  tolfter^a.  hun- 

In  the  preceding  feftion  it  is  ftated  drat] 

that  Thorfinn  married  Thurid  :  me  was  Fylld(?  den  T™11^,  fal>  nar  de  famlats  att 

fometimes  alfo  called  Gudrid.  Profeffor  *«*»  °m  ^Fritkiofs  Saga  IIL|  l8. 
Rafn  thinks  it  probable  that  me  was 

called    by    the    former    in    childhood,  Not  five  hundred  men  (though  ten  twelves 

which  was  a  pagan  name  derived  from  y°u  ™Ynt  *?  JJS^SS™^      ~ 

j  T-U        u    I  ,,.,1   r~~  -ai:~          Could  nil  that  wide  hall,  when  they  gathered 

the  god  Thor,  but  afterward  for  rehg-  to  ban        at  Yule>  _2Beamifh. 

lous   reafons   Gudrid  was   adopted  in 
its  place.  —  Vide  Beami/h. 


50  Icelandic  Sagas. 

ells  broad :  foxes  were  there.  They  gave  the  land  a  name, 
and  called  it  HELLULAND.49  Then  failed  they  two  days, 
and  turned  from  the  fouth  to  the  fouth-eaft,  and  found  a 
land  covered  with  wood,  and  many  wild  beafts  upon  it :  an 
ifland  lay  there  out  from  the  land  to  the  fouth-eaft ;  there 
killed  they  a  bear,  and  called  the  place  afterwards  Bear 
ifland,50  but  the  land  MARKLAND.  Thence  failed  they  far  to 
the  fouthward  along  the  land,  and  came  to  a  nefs ;  the  land 
lay  upon  the  right;  there  were  long  and  fandy  ftrands. 
They  rowed  to  land,  and  found  there  upon  the  nefs  the 
keel  of  a  fhip,  and  called  the  place  Kjalarnefs,51  and  the 
ftrands  they  called  Furduftrands,  for  it  was  long  to  fail  by 
them.  Then  became  the  land  indented  with  coves ;  they 
ran  the  fhip  into  a  cove.  King  Olaf  Tryggvafon  had  given 
Leif  two  Scotch  people,  a  man  called  Haki,  and  a  woman 
called  Hekja ;  they  were  fwifter  than  beafts.  Thefe  people 
were  in  the  fhip  with  Karlfefne ;  but  when  they  had  failed 

paft 

49  The  whole  of  the  northern  coaft  contracted   from   Bjarnarey  ;    but  the 

of   America,  weft   of  Greenland,  was  common  pronunciation  of  the  latter  is 

called  by  the  ancient  Icelandic  geogra-  Bjadney  or  Bjanney.  — Antiq.  Amer., 

phers  Helluland  it  Mikla,   or  Great  p.  138,  note  c.  —  Beamijh. 
Helluland ;   and    the    Ifland   of  New-        M  In  the  vifit  of  Thorvald,  the  fon 

foundland   fimply  Helluland,  or  Litla  of  Erik  the  Red,  to  Vinland,  in  1002, 

Helluland. — Beami/h.    Helluland,  ita  four  years  before  this  prefent  voyage, 

diftam  aut  ob  ingentes  pianos,  qui  ibi  the  keel  of  his  fhip  had  been  broken 

funt,  lapides  \hella,  gen.  hellu,  pi.  hel-  off  on  a  nefs,  where  he  remained  fome 

lur\,  aut  ea  ratione,  quod  terras  illius  time  to  repair  it.     Was  not  the  keel 

litora  plana  fuerint  et  dura.     Reperi-  found  by  Karlfefne  the  fame  which  had 

mus  apud  antiques  duas  terras  hoc  no-  been  broken  off  in  the  voyage  of  Thor- 

mine  infignitas,  quarum  una  appellata  vald  ?     Does  not  the  accident  to  the 

eft  Helluland  hit  mikla,   Hellulandia  keel,  and  the  repairs  upon  it  at  this 

Major,  altera  Litla  Helluland,  Hellu-  place,  furnifh  fufficient  reafon  for  nam- 

landia  Minor.  — Antiq.  Amer.,  p.  419.  ing  it  Kjalarnefs  ?     Indeed  it  had  been 

Vide  Tab.  XVI.  —  Idem.  fo  named  in  the  previous  voyage.    Vide 

60  Bjanney,  from  Bjorn,  a  bear,  gen.  antea,  p.  38. 
bjarnar,  and  ey,  ifland  :  hence  Bjarney 


Icelandic  Sagas.  51 

pad  Furduftrands,  then  fet  they  the  Scots  on  fhore,  and 
bade  them  run  to  the  fouthward  of  the  land,  and  explore  its 
qualities,  and  come  back  again  within  three  days.  They 
had  a  fort  of  clothing  which  they  called  kjafal,  which  was 
fo  made  that  a  hat  was  on  the  top,  and  it  was  open  at  the  fides, 
and  no  arms  to  it ;  fattened  together  between  the  legs  with 
buttons  and  clafps,  but  in  other  places  it  was  open.  They 
flayed  away  the  appointed  time ;  but  when  they  came  back, 
the  one  had  in  the  hand  a  bunch  of  grapes,  and  the  other, 
a  new  fowen  ear  of  wheat :  thefe  went  on  board  the  fliip, 
and  after  that  failed  they  farther.  They  failed  into  a  frith ; 
there  lay  an  ifland  before  it,  round  which  there  were  ftrong 
currents,  therefore  called  they  it  Stream  ifland.  There 
were  fo  many  eider  ducks  on  the  ifland,  that  one  could 
fcarcely  walk  in  confequence  of  the  eggs.  They  called  the 
place  Stream  frith.52  They  took  their  cargo  from  the  fliip, 
and  prepared  to  remain  there.  They  had  with  them  all 
forts  of  cattle.  The  country  there  was  very  beautiful. 
They  undertook  nothing  but  to  explore  the  land.  They 
were  there  for  the  winter  without  having  provided  food 
beforehand.  In  the  fummer  the  fifhing  declined,  and  they 
were  badly  off  for  provifions;  then  difappeared  Thorhall 
the  huntfman.  They  had  previoufly  made  prayers  to  God 
for  food,  but  it  did  not  come  fo  quick  as  they  thought  their 
necefflties  required.  They  fearched  after  Thorhall  for  three 
days,53  and  found  him  on  the  top  of  a  rock ;  there  he  lay, 

and 

82  Straumfjord  and  Straumey,  from  M  3  daegr.  There  feems  to  be  con- 
ftraumr,  a  current;  ey,  ifland;  and  fiderable  ambiguity  about  the  Icelandic 
fjord,  frith :  alfo,  Furduftrandir,  from  words  dagr  and  dcegr,  which  are  arbi- 
fnrda,  gen.  furdu,  wonderful,  and  trarilyufed  to  exprefs  either  the  natural 
ftrond,  pi.  ftrandir,  beach.  —  Beami/h.  day  of  24  hours  or  the  artificial  day 

of 


Icelandic  Sagas. 


and  looked  up  in  the  fky,  and  gaped  both  with  nofe  and 
mouth,  and  murmured  fomething ;  they  afked  him  why  he 
had  gone  there ;  he  faid  it  was  no  bufmefs  of  theirs ;  they 
bade  him  come  home  with  them,  and  he  did  fo.  Soon  after 
came  there  a  whale,  and  they  went  thither,  and  cut  it  up, 
and  no  one  knew  what  fort  of  whale  it  was;  and  when 
the  cook  dreffed  it,  then  ate  they,  and  all  became  ill  in 
confequence.54  Then  faid  Thorhall:  "The  red-bearded55 
was  more  helpful  than  your  Chrift ;  this  have  I  got  now  for 
my  verfes  that  I  fung  of  Thor,  my  protector ;  feldom  has  he 
deferted  me."  But  when  they  came  to  know  this,  they  caft 

the 


of  12  hours.  Throughout  this  and  the 
preceding  narrative,  dcegr  is  confidered 
by  the  editor  to  mean  the  artificial  day, 
and  dagr  the  natural  day,  hence  2  dcegr 
is  rendered  "a  day  and  night"  [Dan. 
"en  Dag  og  en  Nat," —  Lat.  "noctem 
diemque,"]  —  and  3  dcegr,  "three  half 
natural  days"  (36  hours)  [Dan.  "tre 
halve  Dogn," —  Lat.  "tria  nychtheme- 
rium"].  But  in  a  ftibfequent' narra- 
tive (De  Ario  Mario  Filii,  Antiq. 
Amer.,  p.  211)  we  find  VI.  dcegr 
rendered,  in  the  Danifh  verfion,  "  6 
Dogn,"  and,  in  the  Latin,  "fex  die- 
rum,"  thus  applying  the  word  dcegr  to 
the  natural  day  of  24  hours.  Finn 
Magnufen,  alfo,  expreffly  ftates  that 
the  artificial  day  was  called  dagr,  and 
the  natural  day  dcegr.  —  See  Mem.  de 
la  Soc.  Roy.  des  Antiq.  du  Nord,  1836, 
1837,  p.  165.—  Beamt/h. 

*4  This  whale  was  probably  a  fpe- 
cies  of  the  Balcena phyfalis  of  Linnaeus, 
which  was  not  edible,  and,  being  rarely 
feen  in  the  Greenland  and  Iceland  feas, 
was  unknown  to  the  Northmen.  A 
kind  of  whale  called  Balcena  myftice- 
tus  is  mentioned  by  Ebeling,  as  having 
been  formerly  found  on  the  coafts  of 
Rhode  Ifland  and  Mafiachufetts,  re- 


vifiting  the  more  fouthern  latitudes  in 
winter,  and  returning  northwards  in  the 
fpring ;  in  after  times,  however,  they 
difappeared  altogether  from  the  coafts  ; 
and  in  the  prefent  day  the  number  of 
whales  in  northern  latitudes  has  much 
diminished.  — Idem. 

66  Thor,  the  eldest  fon  of  Odin  and 
Frigga,  the  ftrongeft  of  the  Afer,  and 
next  to  Odin  in  rank. 

"There  fits  on  golden  throne 

Aloft  the  god  of  war, 
Save  Odin,  yields  to  none 

'Mongft  gods  great  Afer,  Thor." 
Oehlenfchlager,  Pigoit's  Tran/lation. 

The  introduction  of  Chriftianity  be- 
ing but  recent  in  Iceland,  many  of  the 
Northmen  ftill  believed  in  Thor,  or,  em- 
bracing the  new  religion  with  a  waver- 
ing faith,  applied  to  the  Afer  gods  in 
cafes  of  difficulty.  "  The  remains  of 
the  worlhip  of  Thor  lingered  longer 
in  the  North  than  thofe  of  any  of  the 
other  Scandinavian  deities.  In  Nial's 
Saga,  a  female  fkald  fays  to  a  Chrif- 
tian,  '  Do  you  not  know  that  Thor  has 
challenged  your  Chrift  to  fingle  com- 
bat, and  that  he  dares  not  fight  him  ?'  " 
—  Pigotfs  Scandinavian  Mythology^ 
p.  101.  — Idem. 


Icelandic  Sagas.  53 

the  whole  whale  into  the  fea,  and  refigned  their  cafe  to 
God.  Then  the  weather  improved,  and  it  was  poffible  to 
row  out  fifhing ;  and  they  were  not  then  in  want  of  pro- 
vifions,  for  wild  beafts  were  caught  on  the  land,  and  fifh  in 
the  fea,  and  eggs  collected  on  the  ifland. 


OF   KARLSEFNE   AND   THORHALL. 

So  is  faid  that  Thorhall  would  go  to  the  northward  along 
Furduftrands,  to  explore  Vinland,  but  Karlfefne  would  go 
fouthwards  along  the  coaft.  Thorhall  got  ready,  out  under 
the  ifland,  and  there  were  no  more  together  than  nine  men ; 
but  all  the  others  went  with  Karlfefne.  Now  when  Thor- 
hall bore  water  to  his  fhip,  and  drank,  then  fung  he  this 
fong:  — 

People  told  me  when  I  came 
Hither,  all  would  be  fo  fine ; 
The  good  Vinland,  known  to  fame, 
Rich  in  fruits,  and  choiceft  wine ; 
Now  the  water  pail  they  fend ; 
To  the  fountain  I  muft  bend, 
Nor  from  out  this  land  divine 
Have  I  quaffed  one  drop  of  wine. 

And  when  they  were  ready,  and  hoifted  fail,  then  chaunted 
Thorhall :  — 

Let  our  trufty  band 
Hafte  to  Fatherland ; 
Let  our  veffel  brave 
Plough  the  angry  wave, 
While  thofe  few  who  love 
Vinland,  here  may  rove, 

Or, 


54  Icelandic  Sagas. 

Or,  with  idle  toil, 
Fetid  whales  may  boil, 
Here  on  Ferduftrand, 
Far  from  Fatherland.56 

After  that,  failed  they  northwards  pad  Furduftrands  and 
Kjalarnefs,  and  would  cruife  to  the  weftward;  then  came 
againft  them  a  flrong  weft  wind,  and  they  were  driven  away 
to  Ireland,  and  were  there  beaten,  and  made  flaves,  accord- 
ing to  what  the  merchants  have  faid. 

Now  is  to  be  told  about  Karlfefne,  that  he  went  to  the 
fouthward  along  the  coaft,  and  Snorri  and  Bjarni,  with 
their  people.  They  failed  a  long  time,  and  until  they  came 
to  a  river,  which  ran  out  from  the  land,  and  through  a  lake, 
out  into  the  fea.  It  was  very  mallow,  and  one  could  not 
enter  the  river  without  high  water.  Karlfefne  failed,  with  his 
people,  into  the  mouth,  and  they  called  the  place  Hop.57 
They  found  there  upon  the  land  felf-fown  fields  of  wheat, 
there  where  the  ground  was  low,  but  vines  there  where  it 
rofe  fomewhat.  Every  ftream  there  was  full  of  fim.  They 
made  holes  there  where  the  land  commenced,  and  the 
waters  rofe  higheft;  and  when  the  tide  fell,  there  were 
facred  fifh68  in  the  holes.  There  were  a  great  number  of 

all 

68  Omnes  has  ftrophae  antiquitatem  M  Helgir  fifkar.  This  is  fuppofed 

et  genium  fapiunt  feculi  lo""1  et  1 1™1,  to  have  been  the  fpecies  of  flounder  or 

tarn  quod  attinet  ad  metaphoras,  quam  flat  fifh,  called  by  the  Englifli  halibut 

ceteram  indolem. — Rafn,  Antiq.  Amer.,  (Pleuroneftes  hippoglajfus  Linn.,  Hip- 

p.  144,  note  a.  pogloffus  vulgaris  Cuv.),  and  which  is 

57  I  Hdpi,  from  the  Icelandic  word  ftill  called  in  Iceland  "  holy  fifh  "  (hei- 

h6pa,  to  recede,  and  may  fignify  here  lagfifki),  a  name  given,  according  to 

either  the  recefs  formed  by  the  conflu-  Pliny,  in  confequence  of  the  prefence 

ence  of  a  river  and  the  fea,  or  the  of  thefe  fifh  being  confidered  to  denote 

mouth  of  the  river,  or  merely  the  inlet  fafe  water.  Speaking  of  the  danger  to 

of  the  fea  into  which  the  river  falls. —  be  apprehended  from  the  dog-fifh,  he 

Beami/h.  adds  :  "  Certiffima  eft  fecuritas  vidiffe 

pianos 


Icelandic  Sagas.  55 

all  kinds  of  wild  beafts  in  the  woods.  They  remained  there 
a  half  month,  and  amufed  themfelves,  and  did  not  perceive 
any  thing  [new] :  they  had  their  cattle  with  them.  And 
one  morning  early,  when  they  looked  round,  faw  they  a 
great  many  canoes,  and  poles  were  fwung  upon  them,  and 
it  founded  like  the  wind  in  a  ftraw-ftack,  and  the  fwinging 
was  with  the  fun.  Then  faid  Karlfef  ne  :  "  What  may  this 
denote  ? "  Snorri  Thorbrandfon  anfwered  him :  "  It  may 
be  that  this  is  a  fign  of  peace,  fo  let  us  take  a  white  fliield, 
and  hold  it  towards  them  ;  "  and  fo  did  they.  Upon  this  the 
others  rowed  towards  them,  and  looked  with  wonder  upon 
thofe  that  they  met,  and  went  up  upon  the  land.  Thefe 
people  were  black,  and  ill  favored,  and  had  coarfe  hair  on 
the  head ;  they  had  large  eyes  and  broad  cheeks.  They 
remained  there  for  a  time,  and  gazed  upon  thofe  that  they 
met,  and  rowed  afterwards  away  to  the  fouthward,  round 
the  nefs. 

Karlfefne  and  his  people  had  made  their  dwellings  above 
the  lake,  and  fome  of  the  houfes  were  near  the  water,  others 
more  diftant.  Now  were  they  there  for  the  winter ;  there 
came  no  fnow,  and  all  their  cattle  fed  themfelves  on  the 
grafs.  But  when  fpring 59  approached,  faw  they  one  morn- 
ing early  that  a  number  of  canoes  rowed  from  the  fouth 
round  the  nefs;  fo  many,  as  if  the  fea  were  fowen  with 
coal :  poles  were  alfo  fwung  on  each  boat.  Karlfefne  and 
his  people  then  raifed  up  the  fhield,  and  when  they  came 
together,  they  began  to  barter;  and  thefe  people  would 

rather 

pianos  pifces,  quia  nunquam  funt,  ubi  nantes  facros  appellant  eos."  —  Hifl. 
maleficae  beftiae  :  qua  de  caufa  uri-  Nat.,  Lib.  ix. — Beamijh. 

89  A.D.  1009. 


56  Icelandic  Sagas. 

rather  have  red  cloth  [than  any  thing  elfe] ;  for  this  they 
had  to  offer  fkins  and  real  furs.  They  would  alfo  pur- 
chafe  fwords  and  fpears,  but  this  Karlfefne  and  Snorri 
forbade.  For  an  entire  fur  fkin  the  Skraelings  took  a  piece 
of  red  cloth,  a  fpan  long,  and  bound  it  round  their  heads. 
Thus  went  on  their  traffic  for  a  time ;  then  the  cloth  began 
to  fall  fhort  among  Karlfefne  and  his  people,  and  they  cut 
it  afunder  into  fmall  pieces,  which  were  not  wider  than  the 
breadth  of  a  ringer,  and  ftill  the  Skraelings  gave  juft  as 
much  for  that  as  before,  and  more.60 

It  happened  that  a  bull,  which  Karlfefne  had,  ran  out 
from  the  wood  and  roared  aloud ;  this  frightened  the  Skrael- 
ings, and  they  rufhed  to  their  canoes,  and  rowed  away  to 
the  fouthward,  round  the  coafl:  after  that  they  were  not 
feen  for  three  entire  weeks.  But  at  the  end  of  that  time,  a 
great  number  of  Skraelings'  mips  were  feen  coming  from 
the  fouth  like  a  rufhing  torrent ;  all  the  poles  were  turned 
from  the  fun,  and  they  all  howled  very  loud.  Then  took  Karl- 
fefne's  people  a  red  fhield,  and  held  it  towards  them.  The 
Skraelings  jumped  out  of  their  mips,  and  after  this  went 
they  againft  each  other,  and  fought.  There  was  a  fharp 
mower  of  weapons,  for  the  Skraelings  had  flings.  Karlfefne's 
people  faw  that  they  raifed  up  on  a  pole  an  enormous  large 
ball,  fomething  like  a  fheep's  paunch,  and  of  a  blue  color ; 

this 

60  The   Saga  of   Erik  the  Red,  in  elfe.     "Thus,"   fays   the   Saga,    "the 

giving  an  account  of  this  tranfaftion,  traffic  of  the  Skraelings  was  wound  up 

adds  that  Karlfefne,  on  the  cloth  being  by  their  bearing  away  their  purchafes 

expended,  hit  upon  the  expedient  of  in  their  ftomachs,  but  Karlfefne  and  his 

making  the  women  take  out  milk  por-  companions  retained  their  goods  and 

ridge  to  the  Skraelings,  who,  as  foon  as  fkins."  —  Antiq.  Amer.,  pp.  59,  60.  — 

they  faw  this  new  article  of  commerce,  Beamijh. 
would  buy  the  porridge  and  nothing 


Icelandic  Sagas.  57 

this  fwung  they  from  the  pole  over  Karlfefne's  men,  upon 
the  ground,  and  it  made  a  frightful  cram  as  it  fell  down.61 
This  caufed  great  alarm  to  Karlfefne  and  all  his  people,  fo 
that  they  thought  of  nothing  but  running  away,  and  they 
fell  back  along  the  river,  for  it  appeared  to  them  that  the 
Skraelings  preffed  upon  them  from  all  fides ;  and  they  did 
not  flop  until  they  came  to  fome  rocks,  where  they  made  a 
ftout  refinance.  Freydis  came  out  and  faw  that  Karlfefne's 
people  fell  back,  and  me  cried  out :  ':  Why  do  ye  run, 
ftout  men  as  ye  are,  before  thefe  miferable  wretches,  whom 
I  thought  ye  would  knock  down  like  cattle  ?  and  if  I  had 
weapons,  methinks  I  could  fight  better  than  any  of  ye." 
They  gave  no  heed  to  her  words.  Freydis  would  go  with 
them,  but  me  was  flower,  becaufe  me  was  pregnant ;  how- 
ever me  followed  after  them  into  the  wood.  The  Skraelings 
purfued  her;  me  found  a  dead  man  before  her:  it  was 
Thorbrand  Snorrafon,  and  there  flood  a  flat  flone  fluck  in 
his  head  ;  the  fword  lay  naked  by  his  fide ;  this  took  me  up, 
and  prepared  to  defend  herfelf.  Then  came  the  Skraelings 
towards  her;  me  drew  out  her  breails  from  under  her 
clothes,  and  darned  them  againfl  the  naked  fword ;  by  this 
the  Skraelings  became  frightened,  and  ran  off  to  their  mips, 
and  rowed  away.  Karlfefne  and  his  people  then  came  up, 
and  praifed  her  courage.  Two  men  fell  on  Karlfefne's  fide, 
but  a  number  of  the  Skraelings.  Karlfefne's  band  was  over- 
matched 

61  The   nature   of  this  miffile   does  marking  its  pofition  after  having  been 

not  exactly  appear,  but  it  probably  had  thrown.    In  the  prefent  inftance,  ftones 

fome  affinity  with  the  harpoon  ufed  by  would  appear  to  have  been  added  to 

the  Efquimaux  in  fiming,  and  to  which  this  contrivance.  —  Antiq.  Amer.,  p. 

is  attached  a  bladder,  as  well  for  the  152,  note  b. — Beami/h. 
purpofe  of  directing  the  weapon  as  of 

8 


58  Icelandic  Sagas. 

matched,  and  they  now  drew  home  to  their  dwellings,  and 
bound  their  wounds;  and  they  thought  over  what  crowd 
that  could  have  been,  which  had  preffed  upon  them  from  the 
land  fide,  and  it  now  appeared  to  them  that  it  could  fcarcely 
have  been  real  people  from  the  mips,  but  that  thefe  muft 
have  been  optical  illufions.  The  Skraelings  found  alfo  a 
dead  man,  and  an  axe  lay  by  him ;  one  of  them  took  up 
the  axe,  and  cut  wood  with  it,  and  now  one  after  another 
did  the  fame,  and  thought  it  was  an  excellent  thing,  and  bit 
well ;  after  that  one  took  it,  and  cut  at  a  ftone,  fo  that 
the  axe  broke,  and  then  thought  they  it  was  of  no  ufe, 
becaufe  it  would  not  cut  ftone,  and  they  threw  it  away. 

Karlfefne  and  his  people  now  thought  they  faw,  that 
although  the  land  had  many  good  qualities,  ftill  would  they 
be  always  expofed  there  to  the  fear  of  hoftilities  from  the 
earlier  inhabitants.  They  propofed,  therefore,  to  depart, 
and  return  to  their  own  country.  They  failed  northwards 
along  the  coaft,  and  found  five  Skraelings  clothed  in  fkins, 
fleeping  near  the  fea.  They  had  with  them  veffels  contain- 
ing animal  marrow  mixed  with  blood.  Karlfefne's  people 
thought  they  underftood  that  thefe  men  had  been  banifhed 
from  the  land :  they  killed  them.  After  that  came  they  to 
a  nefs,  and  many  wild  beafts  were  there ;  and  the  nefs  was 
covered  all  over  with  dung,  from  the  beafts  which  had  lain 
there  during  the  night.  Now  came  they  back  to  Straumfjord, 
and  there  was  abundance  of  every  thing  that  they  wanted 
to  have.  It  is  fome  men's  fay,  that  Bjarni  and  Gudrid 
remained  behind,  and  a  hundred  men  with  them,  and  did 
not  go  further ;  but  that  Karlfefne  and  Snorri  went  fouth- 
wards,  and  forty  men  with  them,  and  were  not  longer  in 

Hope 


Icelandic  Sagas.  59 

Hope  than  barely  two  months,  and  the  fame  fummer  came 
back.62  Karlfefne  went  then  with  one  fliip  to  feek  after 
Thorhall  the  hunter,  but  the  reft  remained  behind,  and  they 
failed  northwards  paft  Kjalarnefs,  and  thence  weftwards, 
and  the  land  was  upon  their  larboard  hand ;  there  were  wild 
woods  over  all,  as  far  as  they  could  fee,  and  fcarcely  any 
open  places.  And  when  they  had  long  failed,  a  river  fell 
out  of  the  land  from  eaft  to  weft ;  they  put  in  to  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  and  lay  by  its  fouthern  bank. 

DEATH  OF  THORVALD,  THE  SON  OF  ERIK. 

IT  happened  one  morning  that  Karlfefne  and  his  people 
faw,  oppofite  an  open  place  in  the  wood,  a  fpeck  which 
gliftened  in  their  fight,  and  they  fhouted  out  towards  it,  and 
it  was  a  uniped,63  which  thereupon  hurried  down  to  the  bank 
of  the  river,  where  they  lay.  Thorvald  Erikfon  flood  at  the 
helm,  and  the  uniped  fliot  an  arrow  into  his  bowels.  Thor- 
vald drew  out  the  arrow,  and  faid :  "  It  has  killed  me !  —  to 


62  This  paflage  is  evidently  the  ftate-  Wormfkiold  defcribes  as  a  triangular 
mentof  an  imperfeft  tradition,  to  which  cloth,  hanging  down  fo  low,  both  be- 
the  writer  of  the  Saga  gave  no  credit ;  fore  and  behind,  that  the  feet  were  con- 
and,  although  only  involving  a  queftion  cealed.     In  an  old  mifcellaneous  work, 
of  time,  it  mud  be  rejected  as  incon-  called  "Rimbegla,"  published  at  Copen- 
fiftent  with  the   previous  details:    its  hagen  in  1780,  a  people  of  this  denomi- 
infertion,  however,  is  flrongly  charac-  nation,  inhabiting  Blaland  in  Ethiopia, 
teriftic  of  the  candor  and  honefty  of  are  thus  defcribed :  "Einfoetingar  hafa 
the  writer,  who  is  obvioufly  defirous  of  fva  mikinn  f6t  vid  jord,  at  their  fkyggja 
flating  all  that  he  has  heard  upon  the  fdr  med  honum  vid  folarhita  i  fvefni," 
fubject. —  Beamijh.  i.e.,  fays    Profeffor   Rafn,    "  Unipedes 

63  Einfoetingr,    from   ein,   one,   and  plantam  pedis  tarn  amplam  habent,  ut 
f6tr,  foot.    This  term  appears  to  have  ipfis    dormientibus    fit    umbraculi."  — 
been  given  by  ancient  writers  to  fome  Antiq.     Amer.,     p.    158,    note    a, — 
of  the   Indian  tribes,  in  confequence  Idem. 

of  the  peculiarity  of  their  drefs,  which 


60  Icelandic  Sagas. 

a  fruitful  land  have  we  come,  but  hardly  fhall  we  enjoy  any 
benefit  from  it."  Thorvald  foon  after  died  of  this  wound.64 
Upon  this  the  uniped  ran  away  to  the  northward ;  Karl- 
fefne  and  his  people  went  after  him,  and  faw  him  now  and 
then,  and  the  laft  time  they  faw  him,  he  ran  out  into  a 
bay.  Then  turned  they  back,  and  a  man  chaunted  thefe 

verfes :  — 

The  people  chafed 
A  Uniped 

Down  to  the  beach  ; 
But  lo !  he  ran 
Straight  o'er  the  fea. 
Hear  thou,  Thorfinn ! 

They  drew  off  then,  and  to  the  northward,  and  thought 
they  faw  the  country  of  the  Unipeds  ;  they  would  not  then 
expofe  their  people  any  longer.  They  looked  upon  the 
mountain  range  that  was  at  Hope,  and  that  which  they 
now  found,  as  all  one,  and  it  alfo  appeared  to  be  equal 
length  from  Straumfjord  to  both  places.  The  third  winter65 
were  they  in  Straumfjord.  They  now  became  much  divided 
by  party  feeling,  and  the  women  were  the  caufe  of  it,  for 
thofe  who  were  unmarried  would  injure  thofe  that  were 
married,  and  hence  arofe  great  difturbance.  There  was 
born  the  first  autumn  w  Snorri,  Karlfefne's  fon,  and  he  was 

three 

64  Compare  antea,  p.  39.  The  dif-  66  Snorri  was  born  in  Vinland,  A.D. 
crepancy  in  the  two  accounts  of  the  1007.  From  him,  according  to  a  gene- 
death  of  Thorvald  is  perhaps  no  more  alogical  table  introduced  into  "  Antiqui- 
than  is  to  be  expected,  when  we  con-  tates  Americanae  "  by  Profeffor  Rafn, 
fider  the  mutations  to  which  the  fagas  are  lineally  defcended  a  large  number 
were  expofed  before  they  were  reduced  of  diftinguifhed  Scandinavians.  Among 
to  writing.  them  we  note  the  following  :  Snorri 

66  A.D.  1009,  1010.  Sturlefon,  the  celebrated  hiftorian,  b. 

1178; 


Icelandic  Sagas.  61 

three  years  old  when  they  went  away.  When  they  failed 
from  Vinland,  they  had  a  fouth  wind,  and  came  then  to 
Markland,  and  found  there  five  Skraelings,  and  one  was 
bearded ;  two  were  females,  and  two  boys ;  they  took  the 
boys,  but  the  others  efcaped,  and  the  Skraslings  fank  down 
in  the  ground.  Thefe  two  boys  took  they  with  them ;  they 
taught  them  the  language,  and  they  were  baptized.  They 
called  their  mother  Vathelldi,  and  their  father  Uvaege. 
They  faid  that  two  kings  ruled  over  the  Skraelings,  and 
that  one  of  them  was  called  Avalldania,  but  the  other 
Valldidida.  They  faid  that  no  houfes  were  there;  people 
lay  in  caves  or  in  holes.  They  faid  there  was  a  land  on  the 
other  fide,  juft  oppofite  their  country,  where  people  lived 
who  wore  white  clothes,  and  carried  poles  before  them,  and 
to  thefe  were  faftened  flags,  and  they  fhouted  loud;  and 
people  think  that  this  was  WHITE-MAN'S-LAND,  OR  GREAT 

IRELAND.67 

Bjarni  Grimolfson  was  driven  with  his  fhip  into  the  Irifh 
ocean,  and  they  came  into  a  worm-fea,68  and  ftraightway 
began  the  fhip  to  fink  under  them.  They  had  a  boat  which 
was  fmeared  with  feal  oil,  for  the  fea-worms  do  not  attack 

that: 

1178;  Bertel  Thorvaldfon,  the  eminent  conftant  opposition  of  the  winds  and 

fculptor,  b.  1770  ;  Finn  Magnufen,  b.  currents,  and  by  the  condition  of  the 

1781  ;  Birgen  Thorlacius,  profeffor  in  mips,  which  were  pierced  on  all  parts 

Copenhagen,  b.  1775  ;  Grim  Thorkelin,  by  the  teredo,  or  worm."  —  Irving's 

profeffor  in  Copenhagen,  and  many  Columbus,  p.  287.  "  Continuing  along 

others  earlier  in  the  line.  the  coaft  eaftward,  he  was  obliged  to 

67  Hvitramannaland  eda  Irland  ed  abandon  one  of  the  caravels  in  the  har- 

mykla.  bor  of  Puerto  Bello,  being  fo  pierced 

88  Madkfjd.  Probably  waters  in-  by  the  teredo  that  it  was  impoffible  to 

fefted  with  the  Teredo  navalis,  from  keep  her  afloat."  —  /£.,  p.  303.  The 

which  the  mips  of  Columbus  received  Teredo  navalis,  and  its  deftru£live  ef- 

fuch  injury  in  a  more  fouthern  latitude.  fe6ls,  may  ftill  be  feen  on  the  fouth 

"  The  leamen  were  difheartened  by  the  coaft  of  Ireland.  — Beamijh. 


62  Icelandic  Sagas. 

that:  they  went  into  the  boat,  and  then  faw  that  it  could 
not  hold  them  all ;  then  faid  Bjarni :  "  Since  the  boat  can- 
not give  room  to  more  than  the  half  of  our  men,  it  is  my 
counfel  that  lots  mould  be  drawn  for  thofe  to  go  in  the 
boat,  for  it  mail  not  be  according  to  rank."  This  thought 
they  all  fo  high-minded  an  offer,  that  no  one  would  fpeak 
againft  it ;  they  then  did  fo  that  lots  were  drawn,  and  it 
fell  upon  Bjarni  to  go  in  the  boat,  and  the  half  of  the 
men  with  him,  for  the  boat  had  not  room  for  more.  But 
when  they  had  gotten  into  the  boat,  then  faid  an  Icelandic 
man,  who  was  in  the  fliip,  and  had  come  with  Bjarni  from 
Iceland :  "  Doft  thou  intend,  Bjarni,  to  feparate  from  me 
here  ? "  Bjarni  anfwered :  "  So  it  turns  out."  Then  faid 
the  other :  "  Very  different  was  thy  promife  to  my  father, 
when  I  went  with  thee  from  Iceland,  than  thus  to  abandon 
me,  for  thou  faid'ft  that  we  mould  both  mare  the  fame  fate." 
Bjarni  replied :  "  It  mall  not  be  thus ;  go  thou  down  into 
the  boat,  and  I  will  go  up  into  the  fhip,  fince  I  fee  that  thou 
art  fo  delirous  to  live."  Then  went  Bjarni  up  into  the  fhip, 
but  this  man  down  into  the  boat,  and  after  that  continued 
they  their  voyage,  until  they  came  to  Dublin  in  Ireland,69 
and  told  there  thefe  things ;  but  it  is  moft  people's  belief 
that  Bjarni  and  his  companions  were  loft  in  the  worm-fea, 
for  nothing  was  heard  of  them  fmce  that  time. 

Pofterity 

69  At  this  period  the  Northmen  were    of  Dublin.  —  See  Moore,  Vol.  II.  p. 
ftill  numerous  in  the  fea-port  towns  of     105. — Beamifh. 
Ireland,  Sitric  the  Dane  being  King 


Icelandic  Sagas.  63 


POSTERITY   OF    KARLSEFNE   AND   THURID    HIS    WIFE. 

THE  next  fummer70  went  Karlfefne  to  Iceland,  and 
Gudrid  with  him,  and  he  went  home  to  Reynifnefs.  His 
mother  thought  that  he  had  made  a  bad  match,  and  there- 
fore was  Gudrid  not  at  home  the  firil  winter.  But  when 
me  obferved  that  Gudrid  was  a  diftinguifhed  woman,  went 
fhe  home,  and  they  agreed  very  well  together.  The  daugh- 
ter of  Snorri  Karlfefneffon  was  Hallfrid,  mother  to  Bifhop 
Thorlak  Runolfson.  They  had  a  fon  who  was  called 
Thorbjorn,  his  daughter  was  called  Thorunn,  mother  to 
Bifhop  Bjorn.  The  fon  of  Snorri  Karlfefneffon  was  called 
Thorgeir,  father  to  Yngvild,  mother  of  Bifhop  Brand  the 
firft.  A  daughter  of  Snorri  Karlfefneffon  was  alfo  Steinum, 
who  married  Einar,  fon  of  Grundarketil,  fon  of  Thorvald 
Krok,  the  fon  of  Thorer,  of  Efpihol ;  their  fon  was  Thor- 
ftein  Ranglatr;  he  was  father  to  Gudrun,  who  married 
Jorund  of  Keldum ;  their  daughter  was  Halla,  mother  to 
Flofe,  father  of  Valgerde,  mother  of  Herr  Erlend  Sterka, 
father  of  Herr  Hauk  the  Lagman.71  Another  daughter  of 
Flofe  was  Thordis,  mother  of  Fru  Ingigerd  the  Rich ;  her 
daughter  was  Fru  Hallbera,  Abbefs  of  Stad  at  Reinifnefs. 
Many  other  great  men  in  Iceland  are  defcended  from  Karl- 
fefne and  Thurid,  who  are  not  here  mentioned.  God  be 

with  us!     Amen !  ,r 

Voyage 

70  A.D.  ion.     In  another  narrative  Karlfefne  parted  the  winter  of  1010  at 

of  Karlfefne,  which  follows  the  prefent  Eriksfjord   in    Greenland.  —  Compare 

in  the   "  Antiquitates  Americanae,"  as  Antiq.  Amer.,  pp.  64-183.  —  Beamijh. 

well   as  in  the  fhort  account  of  thefe  71  Hauk  Erlendfon   the  laft  contrib- 

farne    occurrences     contained    in    the  utor  to  the  Landnamab<5k.  —  Idem. 
Saga  of  Erik  the  Red,  it  is  ftated  that 


64  Icelandic  Sagas. 

VOYAGE    OF   FREYDIS,    HELGI,   AND    FINNBOGI. 
A.  D.   ion. 

Freydis  caufes  the  brothers  to  be  killed.  72 

Now  began  people  again  to  talk  about  expeditions  to 
Vinland,  for  voyages  thereto  appeared  both  profitable  and 
honorable.  The  fame  fummer  that  Karlfefne  came  from 
Vinland,73  came  alfo  a  fhip  from  Norway  to  Greenland ;  this 
fhip  fleered  two  brothers,  Helgi  and  Finnbogi,  and  they 
remained  for  the  winter  in  Greenland.  Thefe  brothers 
were  Icelanders  by  defcent,  and  from  Auftfjord.  It  is  now 
to  be  told  that  Freydis,  Erik's  daughter,  went  from  her 
home  at  Garde  to  the  brothers  Helgi  and  Finnbogi,  and 
bade  them  that  they  mould  fail  to  Vinland  with  their 
veffels,  and  go  halves  with  her  in  all  the  profits  which 
might  be  there  made.  To  this  they  agreed.  Then  went 
me  to  Leif,  her  brother,  and  begged  him  to  give  her  the 
houfes  which  he  had  caufed  to  be  built  in  Vinland ;  but  he 
anfwered  the  fame  as  before,  that  he  would  lend  the  houfes, 
but  not  give  them.  So  was  it  fettled  between  the  brothers 
and  Freydis,  that  each  mould  have  thirty  fighting  men  in 
the  fhip,  befides  women.  But  Freydis  broke  this  agree- 
ment, and  had  five  men  more,  and  hid  them ;  fo  that  the 
brothers  knew  not  of  it  before  they  came  to  Vinland. 

Now 

This  narrative  is  contained  in  the  more  perfpicuous,  as  on  account  of  the 

Saga  of  Erik  the  Red  (Antiq.  Amer.,  further  particulars  relating  to  Karlfefne 

p.  65,  feq.),  but  has  been  transferred  to  and  Gudrid,  with  which  it  concludes. — 

this  place,  as  well  to  make  the  chrono-  Beamijh. 
logical  order  of  the  various  voyages        73  A.D.  1010. 


Icelandic  Sagas.  65 

Now  failed  they  into  the  fea,  and  had  before  arranged  that 
they  fhould  keep  together,  if  it  could  fo  be,  and  there  was 
little  difference ;  but  ftill  came  the  brothers  fomewhat  before, 
and  had  taken  up  their  effects  to  Leif's  houfes.  But  when 
Freydis  came  to  land,  then  cleared  they  out  their  fhips,  and 
bore  up  their  goods  to  the  houfe.  Then  faid  Freydis : 
"  Why  bring  ye  in  your  things  here  ? "  "  Becaufe  we  be- 
lieved," faid  they,  "  that  the  whole  agreement  fhould  fland 
good  between  us."  "  To  me  lent  Leif  the  houfes,"  quoth 
fhe,  "  and  not  to  you."  Then  faid  Helgi :  "  In  malice  are 
we  brothers  eafily  excelled  by  thee."  Now  took  they  out 
their  goods,  and  made  a  feparate  building,  and  fet  that 
building  further  from  the  ftrand,  on  the  edge  of  a  lake,  and 
put  all  around  in  good  order;  but  Freydis  had  trees  cut 
down  for  her  fhip's  loading.  Now  began  winter,  and  the 
brothers  propofed  to  fet  up  fports,  and  have  fome  amufe- 
ment.  So  was  done  for  a  time,  until  evil  reports  and 
difcord  fprung  up  amongft  them,  and  there  was  an  end  of 
the  fports ;  and  nobody  came  from  the  one  houfe  to  the 
other,  and  fo  it  went  on  for  a  long  time  during  the  winter. 
It  happened  one  morning  early  that  Freydis  got  up  from 
her  bed,  and  dreffed  herfelf,  but  took  no  Ihoes  or  ftockings ; 
and  the  weather  was  fuch  that  much  dew  had  fallen.  She 
took  her  hufband's  cloak,  and  put  it  on,  and  then  went  to 
the  brothers'  houfe,  and  to  the  door ;  but  a  man  had  gone 
out  a  little  before,  and  left  the  door  half  open.  She  opened 
the  door,  and  flood  a  little  time  in  the  opening,  and  was 
filent ;  but  Finnbogi  lay  infide  the  houfe,  and  was  awake. 
He  faid :  "  What  wilt  thou  here,  Freydis  ? "  She  faid :  "  I 
wifh  that  thou  wouldefl  get  up.  and  go  out  with  me,  for  I 

will 

9 


66  Icelandic  Sagas. 

will  fpeak  with  thee."  He  did  fo.  They  went  to  a  tree,  that 
lay  near  the  dwellings,  and  fat  down  there.  "  How  art  thou 
fatisfied  here  ? "  faid  me.  He  anfwered :  "  Well  think  I  of 
the  land's  fruitfulnefs,  but  ill  do  I  think  of  the  difcord  that 
has  fprung  up  betwixt  us,  for  it  appears  to  me  that  no 
caufe  has  been  given."  u  Thou  fayeft  as  it  is,"  faid  fhe, 
"and  fo  think  I;  but  my  bufmefs  here  with  thee  is  that  I 
wifh  to  change  mips  with  thy  brother,  for  ye  have  a  larger 
fhip  than  I,  and  it  is  my  wifh  to  go  from  hence."  "  That 
muft  I  agree  to,"  faid  he,  "  if  fuch  is  thy  wifh."  Now  with 
that  they  feparated.  She  went  home,  and  Finnbogi  to  his 
bed.  She  got  into  the  bed  with  cold  feet,  and  thereby  woke 
Thorvard,  and  he  afked  why  fhe  was  fo  cold  and  wet.  She 
anfwered,  with  much  vehemence :  "  I  was  gone,"  faid  fhe, 
"  to  the  brothers,  to  make  a  bargain  with  them  about  their 
fhip,  for  I  wifhed  to  buy  the  large  fhip ;  but  they  took  it  fo 
ill,  that  they  beat  me,  and  ufed  me  fhamefully ;  but  thou ! 
miferable  man !  wilt  furely  neither  avenge  my  difgrace  or 
thine  own,  and  it  is  eafy  to  fee  that  I  am  no  longer  in 
Greenland,  and  I  will  feparate  from  thee  if  thou  avengefl 
not  this."  And  now  could  he  no  longer  withftand  her 
reproaches,  and  bade  his  men  to  get  up  with  all  fpeed,  and 
take  their  arms ;  and  fo  did  they,  and  went  ftraightway  to 
the  brothers'  houfe,  and  went  in,  and  fell  upon  them  fleeping, 
and  then  took  and  bound  them,  and  thus  led  out  one  after 
the  other ;  but  Freydis  had  each  of  them  killed,  as  he  came 
out.  Now  were  all  the  men  there  killed,  and  only  women 
remained,  and  them  would  no  one  kill.  Then  faid  Freydis : 
"  Give  me  an  axe !  "  So  was  done ;  upon  which  me  killed 
the  five  women  that  were  there,  and  did  not  flop  until  they 

were 


Icelandic  Sagas.  67 

were  all  dead.  Now  they  went  back  to  their  houfe  after 
this  evil  work,  and  Freydis  did  not  appear  otherwife  than 
as  if  fhe  had  done  well,  and  fpoke  thus  to  her  people :  "  If 
it  be  permitted  us  to  come  again  to  Greenland,"  faid  fhe, 
"  I  will  take  the  life  of  that  man  who  tells  of  this  bufmefs ; 
now  mould  we  fay  this,  that  they  remained  behind  when  we 
went  away."  Now  early  in  the  fpring  made  they  ready  the 
fhip  that  had  belonged  to  the  brothers,  and  loaded  it  with 
all  the  befl  things  they  could  get,  and  the  (hip  could  carry. 
After  that  they  put  to  fea,  and  had  a  quick  voyage,  and 
came  to  Eriksfjord  with  the  fhip  early  in  the  fummer. 
Now  Karlfefne  was  there,  and  had  his  fhip  quite  ready  for 
fea,  and  waited  for  a  fair  wind ;  and  it  is  generally  faid,  that 
no  richer  fhip  has  ever  gone  from  Greenland  than  that 
which  he  fleered. 

OF    FREYDIS. 

FREYDIS  repaired  now  to  her  dwelling,  which,  in  the 
mean  time,  had  flood  uninjured ;  me  gave  great  gifts  to  all 
her  companions,  that  they  mould  conceal  her  mifdeeds,  and 
fat  down  now  in  her  houfe.  All  were  not,  however,  fo 
mindful  of  their  promifes  to  conceal  their  crimes  and 
wickednefs  but  that  it  came  out  at  laft.  Now  finally  it 
reached  the  ears  of  Leif,  her  brother,  and  he  thought  very 
ill  of  the  bufmefs.  Then  took  Leif  three  men  of  Freydif 's 
band,  and  tortured  them  to  confefs  the  whole  occurrence, 
and  all  their  ftatements  agreed.  "  I  like  not,"  faid  Leif, 
"  to  do  that  to  Freydis,  my  fifler,  which  fhe  has  deferved ; 

but 


68  Icelandic  Sagas. 

but  this  will  I  predict,  —  that  thy  pofterity  will  never  thrive." 
Now  the  confequence  was,  that  no  one,  from  that  time 
forth,  thought  otherwife  than  ill  of  them. 

Now  muft  we  begin  from  the  time  when  Karlfefne  got 
ready  his  fhip,  and  put  to  fea.  He  had  a  profperous  voyage, 
and  came  fafe  and  found  to  Norway,  and  remained  there 
for  the  winter,  and  fold  his  goods,  and  both  he  and  his  wife 
were  held  in  great  honor  by  the  moft  refpeclable  men  in 
Norway.  But  the  fpring  after,  fitted  he  out  his  fhip  for 
Iceland ;  and  when  he  was  all  ready,  and  his  fliip  lay  at  the 
bridge,  waiting  for  a  fair  wind,  then  came  there  a  fouthern 
to  him,  who  was  from  Bremen  in  Saxony,  and  wanted  to 
buy  from  Karlfefne  his  houfe  broom.74  "  I  will  not  fell  it," 
faid  he.  "  I  will  give  thee  a  half  mark  gold  for  it,"  faid  the 
German.  Karlfefne  thought  this  was  a  good  offer,  and  they 
clofed  the  bargain.  The  fouthern  went  off  with  the  houfe 
broom,  but  Karlfefne  knew  not  what  wood  it  was ;  but  that 
was  maufur,75  brought  from  Vinland.  Now  Karlfefne  put  to 
fea,  and  came  with  his  fhip  to  Skagafjord,  on  the  northern 
coaft,  and  there  was  the  fliip  laid  up  for  the  winter.  But  in 

fpring 

74  Hdfafnotru.      Some  doubts  have  Haldorfon.  —  See    Antiq.   Amer.,  p. 

arifen  as  to  the  meaning  of  this  word,  441,    note    c,  and  Lexicon  IJlandico- 

which  Finn  Magnufen  thinks  is  here  Latino- Danicum    Bibrnonis    Haldor- 

intended  to  exprefs  a  vane  or  weather-  fonii  ex   manufcriptis   Legati  Arna 

cock,   fuch    appendages   having   been  Magnceani  cura,  R.  K.  Raflcii  editum. 

formerly  ornamented    by  the    North-  Hafniae,  1814,  4to.  —  Beamijh. 
men,  at  great  coft,  and  placed  on  the        75  Mr.    Beamifh   fuggefts    that    this 

top  of  the   houfe.      The   price  given  may  be  the  bird's  eye  or  curled  maple, 

(about  ;£i6  fterling)  is  alfo  more  ac-  and  fays  that  the  old  German  name 

cordant  with  this  interpretation.     Tor-  of    maple,   maa/Jiolderbaum,   and    the 

faeus  calls  it  "coronis  domus,"  which  Swedifli,  mafur,  fpeckled  wood,  and 

feems  to  imply  fome  ornamental  appen-  mafurerad,  applied  to  knotty,  or  mar- 

dage  of  the  kind  :  the  editor  (Profeflbr  ble-like  wood,  tend  to  confirm  this  fup- 

Rafn)  has  followed  the  Lexicon  of  Bjorn  pofition. 


Icelandic  Sagas.  69 

fpring  bought  he  Glaumbseland,  and  fixed  his  dwelling 
there,  and  lived  there,  and  was  a  highly  refpecled  man,  and 
from  him  and  Gudrid  his  wife  has  fprung  a  numerous  and 
diftinguifhed  race.  And  when  Karlfefne  was  dead,  took 
Gudrid  the  management  of  the  houfe  with  her  fon  Snorri, 
who  was  born  in  Vinland.  But  when  Snorri  was  married, 
then  went  Gudrid  abroad,  and  travelled  fouthwards,  and 
came  back  again  to  the  houfe  of  Snorri  her  fon,  and  then 
had  he  caufed  a  church  to  be  built  at  Glaumbas.  After  this 
became  Gudrid  a  nun  and  reclufe,  and  remained  fo  whilft 
fhe  lived.  Snorri  had  a  fon  who  was  named  Thorgeir; 
he  was  father  to  Ingveld,  mother  of  Bifhop  Brand.  The 
daughter  of  Snorri  Karlfefneffon  was  called  Hallfrid ;  fhe 
was  mother  to  Rimolf,  father  to  Bifhop  Thorlak.76  Bjorn 
was  a  fon  of  Karlfefne  and  Gudrid ;  he  was  father  to 
Thorunn,  mother  of  Bifhop  Bjorn.  A  numerous  race  are 
defcended  from  Karlfefne,  and  diftinguifhed  men ;  and  Karl- 
fefne has  accurately  related  to  all  men  the  occurrences  on 
all  thefe  voyages,  of  which  fomewhat  is  now  recited  here.77 

Geographical 

76  "To  the  learned  Bifhop  Thorlak         77  It  would    appear  that   Karlfefne 

Runolfson  we  are  principally  indebted  himfelf  narrated  originally  the  events 

for  the  oldeft  ecclefiaftical  code  of  Ice-  that  occurred  on   thefe  voyages,  and 

land,  publifhed  in  the  year  1123  ;  and  that  only  the  more  important  portions 

it  is  alfo  probable  that  the  accounts  of  were  written  out  by  the  fagaman  ;  that 

thefe  voyages  were  originally  compiled  it  was  not  written  till  a  numerous  race 

by  him." — Vide  Synopfis  of  Hiftorical  of    diftinguifhed   men    had   defcended 

Evidence  in  this  Volume,  by  Profeffor  from    Kalfefne.  —  Vide    Genealogical 

Rafn.  Table  in  Appendix  to  Antiq.  Amer. 


7o  Icelandic  Sagas. 


GEOGRAPHICAL      NOTICES. 


FRAGMENTUM    GEOGRAPHICUM.78 

NEXT  to  Denmark  is  the  leffer  Sweden,  then  is  CEland, 
then  Gottland,  then  Helfmgeland,  then  Vermeland,  and  the 
two  Kvendlands,  which  lie  to  the  north  of  Bjarmeland. 
From  Bjarmeland  ftretches  uninhabited  land  towards  the 
north,  until  Greenland  begins.  South  of  Greenland  is  Hellu- 
land  ;  next  lies  Markland ;  thence  it  is  not  far  to  Vinland  the 
Good,  which  fome  think  goes  out  from  Africa;  and  if  it 
be  fo,  the  fea  muft  run  in  between  Vinland  and  Markland. 
It  is  related  that  Thorfinn  Karlfefne  cut  wood  here  to 
ornament  his  houfe,79  and  went  afterwards  to  feek  out  Vin- 
land the  Good,  and  came  there,  where  they  thought  the 
land  was,  but  did  not  effe<5l  the  knowledge  of  it,  and  gained 
none  of  the  riches  of  the  land.  Leif  the  Lucky  firft  dif- 
covered  Vinland,  and  then  he  met  fome  merchants  in  diftrefs 
at  fea,  and,  by  God's  mercy,  faved  their  lives;  and  he 
introduced  Chriflianity  into  Greenland,  and  it  fpread  itfelf 
there,  fo  that  a  Bifhop's  feat  was  eftablifhed  in  the  place 
called  Gardar.  England  and  Scotland  are  an  ifland,  and 
yet  each  is  a  kingdom  for  itfelf.  Ireland  is  a  great  ifland. 
Iceland  is  alfo  a  great  ifland  north  of  Ireland.  Thefe  coun- 
tries are  all  in  that  part  of  the  world  which  is  called 

Eur°Pe-  Gripla 

78  This  is  a  fragment  from  Vellum    end  of  the  fourteenth  century.  —  Vide 
Codex,  No.  192,  fuppofed  by  Profeflbr    Antiq.  Amer.,  p.  279. 
Rafn  to  have  been  written  near  the        TO  Vide  antea,  note  74. 


Icelandic  Sagas.  71 


GRIPLA.80 
Codex,  No.  115,  8z>0,  Antiq.  Amer.,  p.  293. 

BAVARIA  is  bounded  by  Saxony ;  Saxony  is  bounded  by 
Holftein,  then  comes  Denmark ;  the  fea  flows  through  the 
eaftern  countries.  Sweden  lies  to  the  eaft  of  Denmark, 
Norway  to  the  north;  Finmark  north  of  Norway;  thence 
ftretches  the  land  out  to  the  north-eaft  and  eaft,  until  you 
come  to  Bjarmeland;  this  land  is  tributary  to  Gardarige. 
From  Bjarmeland  lie  uninhabited  places  all  northward  to 
that  land  which  is  called  Greenland  [which,  however,  the 
Greenlanders  do  not  confirm,  but  believe  to  have  obferved 
that  it  is  otherwife,  both  from  drift  timber,  which  it  is  known 
is  cut  down  by  men,  and  alfo  from  reindeer,  which  have 
marks  upon  the  ears,  or  bands  upon  the  horns,  likewife 
from  fheep  which  ftray  thither,  of  which  there  now  are 
remains  in  Norway,  for  one  head  hangs  in  Throndhjem, 
another  in  Bergen,  and  many  more  befides  are  to  be  found].81 
But  there  are  bays,  and  the  land  ftretches  out  toward  the 
fouth-weft ;  there  are  jokels  and  fjords ;  there  lie  iflands  out 
before  the  jokels;  one  of  the  jokels  cannot  be  explored; 
to  the  other  is  half  a  month's  fail,  to  the  third  a  week's  fail ; 
this  is  neareft  to  the  fettlement  called  Hvidferk ;  thence 
ftretches  the  land  toward  the  north ;  but  he  who  wifhes  not 

to 

80  This     remarkable     geographical  being  of  a  mifcellaneous  character. — 

fragment  is    contained    in    the   cele-  Antiq.   Amer.,   pp.   280,    281.  —  Bea- 

brated  Greenlandic  collection  of  Bjorn  mijh. 

Johnfon,  and  was  evidently  written  be-  81  This  paflage  is  confidered  by  Pro- 
fore  the  time  of  Columbus.    The  name  feffor  Rafn  to  be  an  interpolation. — 
is   fuppofed   to  be  derived  from   the  Antiq.  Amer.,  p.  294,  note  a. 
word  gripa,  to  fnatch,  the  collection 


72  Icelandic  Sagas. 

to  mifs  the  fettlement  fleers  to  the  fouth-weft.  The  Bifhop's 
feat  at  the  bottom  of  Eriksfjord  is  called  Gardar;  there  is 
a  church  dedicated  to  the  holy  Nicholas ;  twelve  churches 
are  upon  Greenland  in  the  eaflern  fettlement,  four  in  the 
weftern. 

Now  is  to  be  told  what  lies  oppoflte  Greenland,  out  from 
the  bay,  which  was  before  named  :  a  land  called  Furdu- 
flrandir ;  there  are  fo  flrong  frofts  that  it  is  not  habitable, 
fo  far  as  one  knows ;  fouth  from  thence  is  Helluland,  which 
is  called  Skraelingfland ;  from  thence  it  is  not  far  to  Vinland 
the  Good,  which  fome  think  goes  out  from  Africa ;  between 
Vinland  and  Greenland  is  Ginnungagap,  which  flows  from 
the  fea  called  Mare  Oceanum,  and  furrounds  the  whole  earth. 
Hcec  verbotenus  Gripla. 

MINOR   NARRATIVES. 

FROM   THE    HISTORY   OF    KING    OLAF    TRYGGVASON. 
According  to  the  Second  Vellum  Codex,  No.  6r,  Fol. 

Suppqfed  to  have  been  copied  at  the  end  of  the  fourteenth  or  beginning  of  the 
fifteenth  Century.     Antiq.  Amer.,  p.  202. 

THUS  fays  the  holy  priefl  Bede,  in  the  chronicles  which 
he  wrote  concerning  the  regions  of  the  earth:  that  the 

ifland 

MINOR  NARRATIVES.  —  Thefe  brief  in  Iceland  anterior  to  its  occupation  by 
relations  are  extracts  and  narratives  the  Norwegians,  and  of  voyages  to  a 
from  Icelandic  manufcripts  now  depof-  part  of  America  which  is  fpoken  of  as 
ited  in  the  libraries  of  Copenhagen.  Great  Ireland.  The  defcription  of  the 
They  contain  traces  of  Irifh  fettlements  coaft  vifited  is  so  flight  and  hazy,  that 

it 


Icelandic  Sagas.  73 

ifland  which  is  called  Thule  in  the  books  lies  fo  far  in  the 
north  part  of  the  world,  that  there  came  no  day  in  the 
winter,  when  the  night  is  longer!,  and  no  night  in  fummer, 
when  the  day  is  longefl.  Therefore  think  learned  men  that 
it  is  Iceland  which  is  called  Thule,82  for  there  are  many 
places  in  that  land  where  the  fun  fets  not  at  night,  when 
the  day  is  longeft,  and  in  the  fame  manner  where  the  fun 
cannot  be  feen  by  day,  when  the  night  is  longefl.  But  the 
holy  priefl  Bede  died  735  years  after  the  birth  of  our  Lord 
Jefus  Chrift,  more  than  a  hundred  and  twenty  years  before 
Iceland  was  inhabited  by  the  Northmen.  But,  before  Ice- 
land was  colonized  from  Norway,  men  had  been  there 
whom  the  Northmen  called  Papas.83  They  were  Chriftians  ; 
for  after  them  were  found  Irim  books,  bells,  and  croziers,  and 
many  other  things,  from  whence  it  could  be  feen  that  they 

were 

it  cannot  be  identified  with  any  degree  merating  the  warriors  at  the  battle  of 

of  certainty.     They  ftrengthen  the  evi-  Braavalle,    he    fpeaks    of  thofe    from 

dence  that    Icelandic  voyages  to  our  Thyle,  which  name  is  ftill  to  be  found 

coafts  were  made  at  that  early  period ;  in  that  diflri6l.     Again,  the  particulars 

but  beyond  this  fact  add  very  little  to  given   of    Thule  by   the    Irim   monk, 

what  we   have    already  learned   from  Dicuil,   who   wrote    in   the   year   825, 

the  fagas  in  the  preceding  pages,  or  identify  it  with  Iceland;  and  it  feems 

that  can  be  of  any  hiftorical  value  or  probable   that    different    parts   of  the 

importance.  North  received  the  name,  which,  in  the 

82  The   locality  of  Thule   is   ftill  a  Icelandic    language,   fignifies    end,  — 

vexata   quceftio  with   antiquaries,   the  extreme   boundary  (tili)  according  as 

fouth  coaft  of  Norway  and  north  and  difcovery  was  extended. — BeamT/h. 
north-weft   coaft    of    Scotland   having         83  Papa.     The    clerical    order  were 

been  each  affigned  for  its  pofition,  as  called    Papas    by  fome   Latin  writers 

well  as  Iceland.    Bede  fpeaks  of  Thule  (see  Du  Frefnefs  Glojfary  ad  fcript. 

according  to   the  relation  of  Pytheas  medics  et  infimce  Latinitatis),  and  thus 

of  Marfeilles,  Solinus,  and  Pliny,  but  the  Northmen  may  have  adopted  the 

makes  it  only  fix  days'  fail  from  Brit-  word  from  fouthern  nations,  "timidus 

ain,  which    ill   accords  with  the  then  praeguftes  pocula   Papas"    (Juv.    Sat. 

ftate  of  navigation  and  nautical  knowl-  iv.).     Du  Frefnes  mows  alfo  that  the 

edge.    Saxo  would  feem  to  refer  Thule  term  was    applied    to   Paedagogus. — 

to   the  diftrict   of   Tellemark  on  the  Idem. 
fouth  coaft  of  Norway  ;   for,  in  enu- 


74 


Icelandic  Sagas. 


were  Chriftian  men,  and  had  come  from  the  weft  over  the 
fea.84  Englifh  books85  alfo  fhow  that,  in  that  time,  there 
was  intercourfe  between  the  two  countries. 


From  the  Schedce  of  Art  Frode,  No.  54,  Fol. 

AT  that  time  was  Iceland  covered  with  woods,  between 
the  mountains  and   the  fhore.     Then  were  here  Chriftian 

people, 


84  Til  veftan  urn  haf.     Ireland  lying 
to  the  weft  of  Norway,  from  whence 
the    Icelanders    had    emigrated,   was 
generally  fpoken  of  by  them  with  refer- 
ence to  their  fatherland,  and  for  the 
fame  reafon  they  called  the  Irifh  "weft- 
men."     According  to   a   learned   en- 
quirer into  the  origin  of  the  Irifh,  the 
literal  meaning  of  the  word  "  Ireland  " 
is  Weftland,  the  Celtic  fyllable  tar,  or 
er,  meaning  the  weft.    This,  however, 
is  difputed  by  O'Brien,  who  maintains 
that  the  original  interpretation  of  iar 
is  "after,"  or  "behind,"  and  confiders 
Eirin  to  be  compounded  of  *  and  erin, 
the    genitive    of    ere,   iron,   fignifying 
the  ifland  of  iron  or  mines,  for  which 
Ireland  had  formerly  been  famed,  and 
hence  ranked  by  ancient  writers  among 
the    Caffiterides.  —  See    Wood's    In- 
quiry concerning   the    Primitive  In- 
habitants of  Ireland,  p.  i  ;  O'Brien's 
Irijh  Dift.  in  voce  Eirin.  —  Beami/h. 

85  The   ftrongeft   teftimony  on   this 
point  is   given   by  Dicuil,  in  a  work 
entitled  "  De  Menfura  Orbis  Terras," 
wherein   he    mows    that    Iceland   had 
been  vifited  by  Irifh  ecclefiaftics  in  795, 
and  the  Faroe  Iflands  in  725. —  See 
Antiq.  Amer.,  p.  204,  note  a. 

The  particulars  given  of  Thule  by 
the  Irifh  monk,  Dicuil,  who  wrote  in 
the  year  825,  offer  a  remarkable  con- 
firmation of  the  Icelandic  manufcripts 
refpe&ing  the  refidence  of  the  Irifh 


ecclefiaftics  in  that  region,  which,  in 
his  work,  is  evidently  identified  with 
Iceland.  He  fpeaks  of  Thule  as  an 
uninhabited  ifland,  which,  however,  in 
his  lifetime,  about  the  year  795,  had 
been  vifited  by  fame  monks,  with 
whom  he  himfelf  had  fpoken,  and  who 
had  once  dwelt  upon  the  ifland  from 
the  firft  of  February  to  the  firft  of 
Auguft.  They  denied  the  exaggerated 
ftatements  that  had  been  made  by  an- 
cient writers  reflecting  the  perpetual 
ice,  continued  day  from  the  vernal  to 
the  autumnal  equinox,  and  correfpond- 
ing  interval  of  night,  but  ftated  that  a 
day's  journey  further  northward  the 
fea  was  really  frozen,  and  that  with 
refpefk  to  the  length  of  the  days  and 
nights  at,  and  a  few  days  before  and 
after,  the  fummer  folftice,  the  fun  fank 
fo  little  below  the  horizon  during  the 
night,  that  one  could  purfue  their  ordi- 
nary occupations  as  well  as  by  day- 
light. The  author  further  describes 
feveral  iflands  lying  in  the  north  part 
of  the  Britifh  ocean,  which,  with  a 
fair  wind,  might  be  reached  from  the 
north  of  Britain  in  two  days  and  a 
night ;  and  ftates  that  here,  nearly  a 
hundred  years  before,  namely  A.D.  725, 
hermits  from  Ireland  had  taken  up  their 
abode,  but,  difturbed  by  the  roving 
Northmen,  had  fince  departed,  leaving 
the  place  uninhabited.  Thefe  iflands 
are  further  defcribed  as  having  upon 

them 


Icelandic  Sagas.  75 

people,  whom  the  Northmen  called  Papas ;  but  they  went 
afterwards  away,  becaufe  they  would  not  be  here  amongft 
heathens,  and  left  after  them  Irifh  books,  and  bells,  and 
croziers,  from  which  could  be  feen  that  they  were  Irifh- 
men.  But  then  began  people  to  travel  much  here  out  from 
Norway,  until  King  Harold  forbade  it,  becaufe  it  appeared 
to  him  that  the  land  had  begun  to  be  thinned  of  inhabitants. 

From  the  Prologue  to  the  Landndmabdk,  No.  53,  Fol. 

BUT  before  Iceland  was  colonized  by  the  Northmen,  the 
men  were  there  whom  the  Northmen  called  Papas :  they 
were  Chriftians,  and  people  think  that  they  came  from  the 
weft  over  the  fea,  for  there  were  found  after  them  Irifh 
books,  and  bells,  and  croziers,  and  many  more  things,  from 
which  it  could  be  feen  that  they  were  Weftmen ;  fuch  were 
found  eaftwards  in  Papey  and  Papyli :  it  is  alfo  mentioned 
in  Engliih  books  that,  in  that  time,  was  intercourfe  between 
the  countries. 

CONCERNING   ARI   MARSON. 
A.  D.  982. 

From  the  Landndmabdk,  No.  107,  Fol.,  collated  with  accounts  of  the  fame 
tranfaftions  in  Haukfbdk,  No.  105,  Fol.,  Melabdk,  No.  106  and  112, 
Fol.,  and  other  MSS.  in  the  Arnce-Magnaan  collection. 

ULF  the  Squinter,  fon  of  Hogna  the  White,  took  all  Reyk- 
janes,  between  Thorkafjord  and  Hafrafell;  he  married 

Bjorg, 

them  a  great  number  of  fheep,  which  name  of  which  is  known  to  be  derived 
circumftance  leads  to  the  conclufion  from  the  original  Icelandic  term,  Farey- 
that  they  were  the  Faroe  Iflands,  the  jar,  or  sheep  iflands. — Beami/h. 


76 


Icelandic  Sagas. 


Bjorg,  daughter  to  Eyvind  the  Eaftman,  fifter  to  Helge  the 
Lean ;  their  fon  was  Atli  the  Red,  who  married  Thorbjorg, 
fifter  to  Steindlf  the  Humble;  their  fon  was  Mar  of  Hdlum, 
who  married  Thorkatla,  daughter  of  Hergil  Neprafs ;  their 
fon  was  Ari ; 86  he  was  driven  by  a  tempeft  to  White  Man's 
Land,  which  fome  call  GREAT  IRELAND  ;  it  lies  to  the  weft 
in  the  fea,  near  to  Vinland  the  Good,  and  fix  days'  failing 
weft  from  Ireland.87  From  thence  could  Ari  not  get  away, 
and  was  there  baptized.  This  ftory  firft  told  Rafn  the 
Limerick  merchant,88  who  had  long  lived  at  Limerick  in 

Ireland. 


86  Ari   Marfon  is  mentioned  in  the 
Kriftni  Saga,  c.  I,  p.  6,  amongft  the 
principal  chiefs  in  Iceland  in  the  year 
981,    at  which    time    Bifhop   Fridrick 
and  Thorvald    Kodranfon   came  there 
to  promulgate    Chriftianity.      He   and 
his  kinfmenare  highly  lauded  in  feveral 
Icelandic  hiftorical   works   {Sogujxzd- 
tir  IJlandiga,  Holum,  1756,  4,  p.  105  ; 
Fdftbrczdra    Saga,   c.    I,   p.   6).     His 
father,  Mar,  and  mother,  Katla,  figure 
in  an  ancient  poem,  which  is  flill  pre- 
ferved  among  the  common  traditions  of 
the  Icelanders,  under  the  name  of  Kot- 
ludraumr,  or  Katla's  dream,  and  may  be 
feen  in  the  Arnae-Magnaean  collection, 
No.  154,  8vo.  —  Antiq,  Amer.,  p.  210, 
note  a.  — Beamijh. 

87  "VI.  daegra  figling  veftr  frd  Ir- 
landi."     Profeffor  Rafn  is  of  opinion 
that  the  figures  VI.  have  arifen  through 
miftake  or  careleflhefs  of  the  tranfcriber 
of  the  original  manufcript  which  is  now 
loft,  and  were  erroneoufly  inferted  in- 
ftead  of  XX.,  XL,  or  perhaps  XV., 
which  would  better  correspond  with  the 
distance :  this  miftake  might  have  eafily 
arifen  from  a  blot  or  defect  in  that  part 
of  the  original  MSS.  —  Antiq.  Amer., 
p.  447.  —  Idem. 

It  might  alfo  have  arifen  through 


the  careleffnefs  of  fome  fagaman  while 
it  remained  in  oral  tradition.  —  See 
antea,  p.  60,  note  64. 

89  Hlymreksfari,  a  furname  evidently 
given  here  to  Rafn,  in  confequence  of 
his  trading  to  Limerick,  with  which,  as 
well  as  the  other  principal  Irifh  fea- 
ports,  the  Northmen,  called  by  the  Irifh 
Danes,  were  accuftomed  to  hold  fre- 
quent communication  from  the  end  of 
the  eighth  century.  Dublin,  Water- 
ford,  and  Limerick  are  called  in  the 
Icelandic,  or  old  northern  tongue,  Dy- 
flin,  Vaedrafjordr,  and  Hlimrek,  which 
has  probably  led  Cambrenfis  and  others 
to  attribute  the  foundation  of  thefe  cit- 
ies to  the  Northmen,  Amelanus,  Sitara- 
cus,  and  Ivarus,  or  Anlaf,  Sitric,  and 
Ivar,  in  the  year  864,  when  they  made 
a  hoftile  expedition  to  the  country,  and 
fettled  in  thefe  three  towns  refpe<5lively; 
but  O'Halloran  fhows  that  Dublin, 
Waterford,  and  Limerick  were  cities 
of  note  long  before  that  period,  and 
that  the  trade  of  Dublin,  in  particular, 
was  fo  great  at  the  clofe  of  the  fecond 
century  that  a  bloody  war  broke  out 
between  the  monarch  Con  and  the 
King  of  Munfter,  to  determine  to  whom 
the  duties  upon  exports  and  imports 
mould  belong.  —  Hi/I.  Ireland,  Vol.  1 1 1 . 

p.  178. 


Icelandic  Sagas. 


77 


Ireland.89     Thus  faid  [alfo]  Thorkell  Gellerfon,90  that  Ice- 
landers 


p.  178.  Moore,  however,  gives  Sitric 
the  credit  of  founding  Waterford  [II. 
p.  37],  although  its  original  Irifh  name 
of  Port  Lairge  would  ieem  to  imply  a 
place  of  fome  commercial  importance 
before  the  adoption  of  its  northern 
title,  from  which  the  name  of  Water- 
ford  is  evidently  derived  [Vaedrafjord, 
the  fordable  frith].  Limerick,  O'Hal- 
loran  tells  us,  was  fo  noted  for  its  com- 
merce from  the  earlieft  times,  that  it  is 
never  mentioned  by  ancient  Irifh  writ- 
ers without  the  epithet  Long,  a  mip; 
and  we  find  Ceallachan  Caifil,  king 
of  Munfter,  calling  it  Luimneach  na 
Luingas,  or  Limerick  of  the  mips. — 
Hijt.  Ireland,  I.  p.  159,  and  III.  p.  178. 
According  to  Archbifhop  Ufher,  the 
firft  invafion  of  the  Danes,  or  North- 
men, took  place  about  the  year  797, 
when  the  Annals  of  Ulfter  notice  a 
defcent  on  the  ifle  of  Rechrin,  or  Ragh- 
lin,  north  of  the  county  Antrim ;  and 
their  incurfions  continued,  with  little 
intermiflion,  until  their  final  defeat  by 
Brien  Boirumhe,  or  Boru,  in  the  cele- 
brated battle  of  Clontarff,  April  23, 
1014.  The  intervals  of  peace  were 
naturally  applied  to  commercial  inter- 
courfe  between  the  two  nations  ;  and 
the  Northmen  became  eftablifhed  not 
only  at  the  principal  fea-ports,  but  in 
the  interior  of  the  country.  Hence 
we  find  Irifh  names  of  perfons  in  Ice- 
land, and  names  of  places  formed  of 
Northern  elements  in  Ireland  :  the 
Icelandic  Niel  or  Njall  is  evidently 
the  Irifh  Neil  ;  Kjallach,  Ceallach  ; 
Kjaran,  Kieran  ;  Bjarni,  Barny,  &c. 
Names  of  places  are  of  a  mixed  origin  : 
to  the  Irifh  Laighean,  Munhain,  Ul- 
ladh,  the  Northmen  added  their  fladr 
(place),  which  afterwards  becamey&r, 
and  thus  arose  Leinfter,  Munfter,  Ul- 
fter, &c.  (See  De  ^Eldjle,  toge  fro. 
Norden  til  Irland  of  N.  M.  Peterfen, 


ap.  Annaler for  Nordijk  Oldkyndighed, 
1836,  pp.  2,  3.)  The  general  name  of 
Danes  could  hardly  have  arifen  from 
the  invaders  being  confidered  Danifh, 
as  they  were  a  mixed  race  of  Danes, 
Norwegians,  Swedes,  Saxons,  Frifians, 
and  other  Gothic  tribes  from  the  Cim- 
bric  peninfula  and  mores  of  the  Baltic, 
and  were  diftinguifhed  by  the  Irifh 
according  to  the  color  of  their  hair  or 
complexion,  as  Fionne  Gail,  the  white 
ftrangers,  and  Dubh  Gail,  the  black 
ftrangers  (hence,  probably,  Fingal  and 
Donegal).  The  term  Dane,  which  was 
fometimes  applied,  is,  therefore,  more 
likely  to  have  been  expreffive  of  the 
character  than  the  country  of  the  in- 
vaders, and  to  be  derived  from  the 
Irifh  words  Dana,  bold,  impetuous, 
and  Fear,  man  :  hence  Dan-oit,  the 
impetuous  river,  as  the  Danube  is 
called  in  ancient  Celtic.  —  See  O^Hal- 
loran,  Vol.  III.  p.  149,  and  O'Brien's 
IriJJi  Difl.  in  voce  Dana.  —  BeamiJJi. 

89  The  pedigree  of  Rafn,  the  Limer- 
ick merchant,  or  Oddfon,  is  given  in 
the  Landndmabdk,  II.  21,  p.  98,  from 
which  it  appears  that  he  was  defcended 
from  Duke  Rolf  of  Norway,  and  on  the 
maternal  fide  from  Stein<5f  the  Humble, 
being  thus  connected  as  well  with  Ari 
Marfon  as  Leif  Erikfon,  and  lived  about 
the  middle  or  beginning  of  the  eleventh 
century.     In  the  Sturlunga  Saga,   I. 
c.  3,  he  is  named  amongft  the  anceftors 
of  Skard-Snorri,  from  whom  the  mofl 
diftinguifhed  Icelanders  trace  their  de- 
fcent, and  it  is  probable  was  the  fame 
individual   known    fometimes    by  the 
name   of  Rafn   the    Red  [Rafn  hinn 
raudi\  who  accompanied  Sigurd,  king 
of  the  Orkneys,  to  Ireland  in  1014,  and 
was  prefent  at  the  battle  of  Clontarff, 
April  23,  of  the  fame  year.  —  Antiq. 
Awer.,  p.  211,  note  a.  — Idem. 

90  Thorkell     Gellerfon    was     great 

grandfon 


78  Icelandic  Sagas. 

landers  had  ftated,  who  had  heard  Thorfinn  Jarl  of  the 
Orkneys  relate  that  Ari  was  recognized  in  White  Man's 
Land,  and  could  not  get  away  from  thence,  but  was  there 
much  reflected.  Ari  married  Thorgerd,  daughter  to  Alf 
of  Dolum,  whofe  fons  were  Thorgils,  Gudleif,  and  Illugi : 
this  is  the  family  of  Reykjanefs.  A  fon  of  Ulf  the  Squin- 
ter  was  called  Jorund;  he  married  Thorbjorg  Knarrar- 
bringa ;  their  daughter  was  Thjodhild,  who  married  Erik 
the  Red ;  their  fon  [was]  Leif  the  Lucky  of  Greenland. 
The  fon  of  Atli  the  Red  was  called  Jorund ;  he  married 
Thordis,  daughter  of  Thorgeir  Suda;  their  daughter  was 
Otkatla,  who  married  Thorgill  Kollfon.  Jorund  was  alfo 
father  to  Snorri. 


FRAGMENTUM    GEOGRAPHICUM. 
From  the  Manufcript  Codex,  770,  Antiq.  Amer.,  p.  214. 

Now  are  there,  as  is  faid,  fouth  from  Greenland,  which 
is  inhabited,  deferts,  uninhabited  places,  and  icebergs,  then 
the  Skraelings,  then  Markland,  then  Vinland  the  Good; 
next,  and  fomewhat  behind,  lies  Albania,  which  is  White 
Man's  Land ;  thither  was  failing,  formerly,  from  Ireland ; 
there  Irimmen  and  Icelanders  recognized  Ari  the  fon  of 
Mar  and  Katla  of  Reykjanefs,  of  whom  nothing  had  been 

heard 

grandfon   of  Ari    Marfon,   and    uncle  things  to  his  kinfman,  Ari  Frode,  who 

to  Ari  Frode,  the  writer  of  this  narra-  appears  to  have  had  the  fulleft  confi- 

tive.     He  refided  at  Helgafell  in  Ice-  dence  in  his  ftatements,  and  often  gives 

land,  and  was  well  known  as  a  wealthy,  his  exprefs  words,  together  with   his 

honorable,   and    brave   yeoman,   who,  name,  as  a  fecurity  for  the  truth  of  the 

defirous  of  knowledge,  had  travelled  narrative. — Antiq.  Amer.,  p.  212,  note 

much  in  his  youth.     He  related  many  a.  —  BeamiJJi. 


Icelandic  Sagas.  79 

heard  for  a  long  time,  and  who  had  been  made  a  chief 
there  by  the  inhabitants. 


VOYAGE    OF   BJORN    ASBRANDSON.91 
A.  D.  999. 

BORK  the  Fat,  and  Thordis,  Sur's  daughter,  had  a  daughter 
that  was  called  Thurid,  and  me  was  married  to  Thorbjorn 
the  Fat,  who  lived  at  Froda  ;  he  was  fon  of  Orm  the 
Lean,  who  had  taken  and  cultivated  the  farm  of  Froda. 
Thurid,  daughter  of  Af  brand  of  Kamb  in  Breidavik,  had  he 
formerly  married ;  (he  was  fifter  to  Bjorn  Breidvikingakappa, 
who  is  hereafter  mentioned  in  the  Saga,  and  to  Arnbjorn 
the  Strong ;  her  fons  by  Thorbjorn  were  Ketill  the  Cham- 
pion, Gunnlaug,  and  Hallftein.  .  .  . 

Now  mall  fomething  be  told  about  Snorri  Godi,92  that  he 
took  up  the  procefs  about  the  murder  of  Thorbjorn  his 

brother-in-law. 

91  This  remarkable  narrative  is  taken  real  name  was  Thorgrim  Thorgrimfon ; 
from  the  Eyrbyggja  Saga,  or  early  an-  but,  being  rather  unmanageable  when 
nals   of  that  diftric~l  of  Iceland  lying  a  child,  he  obtained  the  cognomen  of 
around  the  promontory  of  Snasfells  on  Snerrir,  from  the  Icelandic  word,  fner- 
the  weftern  coaft.     It  is  clearly  mown  rinn,  pugnacious,  which  afterwards  be- 
by  Bifhop  Miiller  to  have  been  writ-  came  Snorri. — Miiller,  Sag.  Bib.,  V.  i. 
ten  not  later  than  the  beginning  of  the  He  was  born  in  964,  and  died  in  1031  ; 
thirteenth   century.  —  Beamijh.     Vide  and  hence  it  follows   that   the  events 
Bifhop  Miiller's  account  of  this  Saga,  recorded  in  this  and  the  following  nar- 
in  extenfo,  in  Beamiflfs  Northmen,  pp.  rative,  where  he   is  mentioned  as  an 
200-202.  active  participator,  mult  have  occurred 

92  Godi,  prieft  of  the  temple  and  pre-  previous   to   the  year   1030.     Various 
fe6l  of  the  province,  from  GWthe  Deity,  orthography  has  been  followed  by  Eng- 
being  fuppofed   to  hold  the  office  by  lifh  writers  with  regard  to  the  name, 
divine  appointment.    Snorri  Godi  occu-  fome   calling    it    Snorro    and    others 
pies  a  confpicuous  place  in  Icelandic  Snorre,  but  the  final  i  feems  to  accord 
hiftory  from  the  end  of  the  tenth  to  the  more  with  the  Icelandic  root.  —  Idem. 
beginning  of  the  eleventh  century.   His 


8o  Icelandic  Sagas. 

brother-in-law.  He  alfo  took  his  fifler  home  to  Helgafell, 
becaufe  there  was  a  report  that  Bjorn,  fon  of  Af brand  from 
Kamb,  began  to  come  there  to  inveigle  her.  .  .  . 

There  was  a  man  from  Medallfellftrand  called  Thorodd ; 
an  honorable  man  ;  he  was  a  great  merchant,  and  owned  a 
trading  fliip.  Thorodd  had  made  a  trading  voyage  weft- 
wards  to  Ireland,93  to  Dublin.  At  that  time  had  Jarl  Sigurd 
Lodverffon,  of  the  Orkneys,94  fway  to  the  Hebrides,  and  all 
the  way  weftward  to  Man :  he  impofed  a  tribute  on  the 
inhabitants  of  Man,  and,  when  they  had  made  peace,  the 
Jarl  left  men  behind  him  to  coll  eel:  the  tribute ;  it  was 
moftly  paid  in  fmelted  filver;  but  the  Jarl  failed  away 
northwards  to  the  Orkneys.  But  when  they  who  had 
waited  for  the  tribute  were  ready  for  failing,  they  put  to 
fea  with  a  fouth-weft  wind ;  but  when  they  had  failed  for  a 
time  the  wind  changed  to  the  fouth-eaft  and  eaft,  and  there 
arofe  a  great  ftorm,  and  drove  them  northwards  under 
Ireland,  and  the  fhip  broke  there  afunder  upon  an  uninhab- 
ited ifland.  And  when  they  had  gotten  there,  came,  by 
chance,  the  Icelander  Thorodd,  on  a  voyage  from  Dublin. 
The  Jarl's  men  called  out  to  the  merchantmen  to  help 
them.  Thorodd  put  out  a  boat,  and  went  into  it  himfelf, 
and,  when  it  came  up,  the  Jarl's  men  begged  Thorodd  to 

help 

93  Kaupferd  veftr  til  Irlands.     Here  their  northern  tafk-mafter. —  See  Peter- 
we  fee  the  nature  of  the  voyage  dif-  fen  in  Annal.  for  Nord.  Oldk.  2836. 
tinc"lly  dated,  and  Ireland  fpoken  of  as  Comp.  note  84.  —  Beami/h. 
lying  -we/awards  from   Iceland,  which         94  The  Orkneys  are  called  in  north- 
evidently  arofe  from   its  pofition  with  ern  language   Orkneyjar,  from   Orka, 
regard   to    Norway,  the  fatherland  of  a  kind  of  feal,  which  is  defcribed  in 
the  fettlers  ;  hence,  alfo,  Veftmannaey-  "Speculum    Regale,"    pp.    176,    177. 
jar  (Weftman's  Iflands),  on  the  fouth  Sigurd  fell  in  battle  in  Ireland,  1013. — 
coaft  of  Iceland,  where  fome  Irifh  cap-  Antiq.  Amer.,  p.  218,  note  b.  —  Idem. 
tives  took  refuge  after  the  murder  of 


Icelandic  Sagas.  81 

help  them,  and  offered  him  money  to  take  them  home 
to  Sigurd  Jarl  in  the  Orkneys ;  but  Thorodd  thought  he 
could  not  do  that,  becaufe  he  was  bound  for  Iceland ;  but 
they  preffed  him  hard,  for  they  thought  it  concerned  their 
goods  and  freedom,  that  they  mould  not  be  left  in  Ireland 
or  the  Hebrides,  where  they  before  had  waged  war,  and  it 
ended  fo  that  he  fold  them  the  fhip's  boat,  and  took  there- 
fore a  great  part  of  the  tribute ;  they  fleered  then  with  the 
boat  to  the  Orkneys ;  but  Thorodd  failed  without  the  boat 
to  Iceland,  and  came  to  the  fouth  of  the  land ;  then  fleered 
he  weftwards,  and  failed  into  Breidafjord,  and  landed,  with 
all  on  board,  at  Dogurdarnefs,  and  went  in  autumn  to  win- 
ter with  Snorri  Godi  at  Helgafell ;  he  was  fince  then  called 
Thorodd  the  Tribute-buyer.  This  happened  a  little  after 
the  murder  of  Thorbjorn  the  Fat.  The  fame  winter  was  at 
Helgafell  Thurid  the  filler  of  Snorri  Godi,  whom  Thorbjorn 
the  Fat  had  married.  Thorodd  afked  Snorri  Godi  to  give 
him  Thurid  his  filler  in  marriage  ;  and  becaufe  he  was  rich, 
and  Snorri  knew  him  from  a  good  fide,  and  faw  that  me 
required  fome  one  to  manage  her  affairs, — with  all  this 
together  refolved  Snorri  Godi  to  give  him  the  woman,  and 
their  marriage  was  held  there  in  the  winter  at  Helgafell.  But 
in  the  following  fpring  Thorodd  betook  himfelf  to  Froda, 
and  became  a  good  and  upright  yeoman.  But  fo  foon  as 
Thurid  came  to  Froda,  began  Bjorn  Albrandfon  to  vifit 
there,  and  there  was  fpread  a  general  report  that  he  and 
Thurid  had  unlawful  intercourfe  ;  then  began  Thorodd  to 
complain  about  his  vifits,  but  did  not  obje6l  to  them  feri- 
oufly.  At  that  time  dwelled  Thorer  Vidlegg  at  Arnarhvol, 
and  his  fons,  Orn  and  Val,  were  grown  up,  and  very  prom- 

ifmg 


82  Icelandic  Sagas. 

ifmg  men ;  they  reproached  Thorodd  for  fubmitting  to  fuch 
difgrace  as  Bjorn  put  upon  him,  and  offered  Thorodd  their 
affiftance,  if  he  would  forbid  the  vifits  of  Bjorn.  It  hap- 
pened one  time  that  Bjorn  came  to  Froda,  and  he  fat 
talking  with  Thurid.  Thorodd  ufed  always  to  fit  within 
when  Bjorn  was  there,  but  now  was  he  nowhere  to  be  feen. 
Then  faid  Thurid:  "Take  care  of  thy  walks,  Bjorn,  for  I 
fufpecl:  that  Thorodd  thinks  to  put  an  end  to  thy  vifits  here  ; 
and  it  looks  to  me  as  if  they  had  gone  out  to  fall  upon  thee 
by  the  way,  and  he  thinks  they  will  not  be  met  by  equal 
force."  "  That  can  well  be,"  faid  Bjorn,  and  chaunted  this 

ftave :  — 

O  Goddefs  of  the  arm-ring  gold, 
Let  this  bright  day  the  longeft  hold 
On  earth ;  for  now  I  linger  here 
In  my  love's  arms,  but  foon  muft  fear 
Thefe  joys  will  vanifh,  and  her  breath 
Be  raifed  to  mourn  my  early  death. 

Thereafter  took  Bjorn  his  arms,  and  went  away,  intending 
to  go  home ;  but  when  he  had  gotten  up  the  Digramula, 
fprang  five  men  upon  him ;  this  was  Thorodd  and  two  of 
his  fervants,  and  the  fons  of  Thorer  Vidlegg.  They  feized 
Bjorn,  but  he  defended  himfelf  well  and  manfully ;  Thorer's 
fons  preffed  in  hardeft  upon  him,  and  wounded  him,  but  he 
was  the  death  of  both  of  them.  After  that  Thorodd  went 
away  with  his  men,  and  was  a  little  wounded,  but  they  not. 
Bjorn  went  his  way  until  he  came  home,  and  went  into  the 
room ;  the  woman  of  the  houfe95  told  a  maid  fervant  to  attend 

him ; 

95  Husfreyja ;  Dan.,  Hausfru ;  Siued.,    ing,   in   this  cafe,   Bjorn's  mother.  — 
Husfru ;  Ger.,  Hausfrau  :  literally,  the     Beamijh. 
woman  or  lady  of  the  houfe,  and  mean- 


Icelandic  Sagas.  83 

him ;  and  when  (he  came  into  the  room  with  a  light,  then  faw 
fhe  that  Bjorn  was  very  bloody ;  me  went  then  in,  and  told 
his  father  Afbrand  that  Bjorn  was  come  home  bloody;  Af- 
brand  went  into  the  room,  and  afked  why  Bjorn  was  bloody; 
"  or  have  you,  perhaps,  fallen  in  with  Thorodd  ? "  Bjorn 
anfwered  that  fo  it  was.  Afbrand  then  afked  how  the 
bufmefs  had  ended.  Bjorn  chaunted:  — 

Eafier  far  it  is  to  fondle, 
In  the  arms  of  female  fair 
(Vidlegg's  fons  I  both  have  (lain), 
Than  with  valiant  men  to  wreftle, 
Or  tamely  purchafed  tribute 96  bear. 

Then  bound  Afbrand  his  wounds,  and  he  became  quite 
reftored.  Thorodd  begged  Snorri  Godi  to  manage  the 
matter  about  Thorer's  fons'  murder,  and  Snorri  had  it 
brought  before  the  court  of  Thorfnefs;  but  the  fons  of 
Thorlak  of  Eyra  affifled  Breidvikinga  in  this  affair,  and  the 
uplhot  was  that  Afbrand  went  fecurity  for  his  fon  Bjorn, 
and  undertook  to  pay  a  fine  for  the  murder.  But  Bjorn 
was  banifhed  for  three  years,  and  went  away  the  fame 
fummer.  During  the  fame  fummer  Thurid  of  Froda  was 
delivered  of  a  male  child,  which  received  the  name  of 
Kjartan;  he  grew  up  at  Froda,  and  was  foon  large  and 
promifing. 

Now  when  Bjorn  had  croffed  the  fea   [to  Norway],  he 
bent  his  way  fouthwards  to  Denmark,  and  therefrom  fouth 

to 

96  In  allufion  to  Thorodd's  tranfac-    the    furname    of    "  Tribute-buyer."  — 
tion  with   the   crew  of  Sigurd.  —  See    Beamijfi. 
antea,  p.  81,  from  which  he  obtained 


Icelandic  Sagas. 


to  Jomfborg.97  Then  was  Palnatoki  chief  of  the  Jomfvikings. 
Bjorn  joined  their  band,  and  was  named  Champion.98  He 
was  in  Jomfborg  when  Styrbjorn  the  Strong  took  the  caftle. 
Bjorn  was  alfo  with  them  in  Sweden,  when  the  Jomfvikings 
aided  Styrbjorn;  he  was  alfo  in  the  battle  of  Fyrifvall, 
where  Styrbjorn  fell,  and  efcaped  in  the  wood  with  other 
Jomfvikings.  And  fo  long  as  Palnatoki  lived,"  was  Bjorn 
with  him,  and  was  looked  upon  as  a  diftinguifhed  man,  and 
very  brave  in  all  times  of  trial. 

.  .  .  The  fame  fummer100  came  the  brothers  Bjorn  and 
Arnbjorn  out  to  Iceland  to  Raunhafnarfos.  Bjorn  was 
afterwards  called  the  Champion  of  Breidavik.  Arnbjorn 
had  brought  much  money  out  with  him,  and  immediately, 

the 


97  Jomfborg  (or  Jem's  caftle),  called 
alfo  Julin,  was  built  by  the  Danifh 
King  Harold  Blaatand,  on  one  of  the 
mouths  of  the  Oder,  on  the  coaft  of 
Pomerania.  It  was  afterwards  gov- 
erned by  Palnatoki,  a  powerful  chief 
of  Fionia  (Fynen),  to  whom  Buriflaus, 
king  of  the  Wends,  fearing  his  power, 
gave  the  neighboring  territory,  on  con- 
dition that  he  would  defend  the  mon- 
arch's kingdom  from  foreign  aggref- 
fion.  Palnatoki  accepted  the  condi- 
tions, and  became  chief  of  a  community 
of  pirates  called  Jomfvikingr,  who  were 
diftinguimed,  even  in  thofe  days  of 
brutal  valor,  for  extraordinary  perfonal 
bravery  and  contempt  of  death.  He 
eftablimed  the  ftricteft  laws,  and  ex- 
acted the  moft  rigid  tefts  from  thofe 
who  fought  to  enter  the  fociety  :  the 
rank  of  Kappi,  or  champion,  given  to 
Bjorn  Afbrandfon,  was,  therefore,  the 
ftrongeft  evidence  of  his  eminent  quali- 
ties as  a  warrior.  —  Antiq.  Amer.,  p. 
227,  note  a.  —  Jomfvikinga  Saga  ;  and 
for  the  particular  locality  of  Jomfborg, 


which  is  fuppofed  to  be  the  prefent 
Wollin,  fee  De  Danjkes  Toge,  til  Ven- 
den  of  N.  M.  Peterfen,  ap.  Annalerfor 
Nordijk  Oldkyndighed,  Kjobenhavn, 
J837,  pp.  235-238.  —  Beaml/h. 

98  Styrbjorn  was  the  fon  of  Olaf,  who 
reigned  in  Sweden  jointly  with  Erik 
the  Victorious,  but,  in  confequence  of 
afpiring  to  the  throne  and  the  murder 
of  a  courtier  named  Aki,  fell  into  dif- 
grace,  and  retired,  with  fixty  mips  given 
him   by  Erik,  to  Jomfborg,  of  which 
he  became  governor.     Afterwards  he 
made  an  expedition  to  Sweden,  in  con- 
junction with  Harald  Gormfon,  and  fell 
in  battle  againft  the  king,  his  uncle,  in 
the  plain  of  Fyrifvold  near  Upfala,  A.D. 
984.  —  See  Antiq.  Amer.,  p.  227,  note, 

—  Fornmanna  Sb'gur,  Vol.  V., —  faffr 
Styrbjarnar  Svia  kappa  in  Cod.  Flat.j 
and  Jomfuikinga  Saga,  Miiller,  Vol.  3. 

—  Idem. 

99  Palnatoki  died  A.D.  993.  — Idem. 
100  About    the    year    996.  —  Antiq. 

Amer.,  p.  228,  note  a. 


Icelandic  Sagas.  85 

the  fame  fummer  that  he  came,  bought  land  at  Bakke  in 
Raunhofn.  Arnbjorn  made  no  difplay,  and  fpoke  little  on 
mofl  occafions,  but  was  however,  in  all  refpecls,  a  very  able 
man.  Bjorn,  his  brother,  was,  on  the  other  hand,  very 
pompous,  when  he  came  to  the  country,  and  lived  in  great 
flyle,  for  he  had  accuftomed  himfelf  to  the  court  ufages  of 
foreign  chiefs ;  he  was  much  handfomer  than  Arnbjorn,  and 
in  no  particular  lefs  able,  but  was  much  more  (killed  in 
martial  exercifes,  of  which  he  had  given  proofs  in  foreign 
lands.  In  the  fummer,  jufl  after  they  had  arrived,  a  great 
meeting  of  the  people  was  held  north  of  the  heath,  under 
Haugabret,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Froda ;  and  thither  rode 
all  the  merchants,  in  colored  garments ; 101  and  when  they 
had  come  to  the  meeting,  was  there  many  people  affembled. 
There  was  Thurid,  the  lady  of  Froda,  and  Bjorn  went  up, 
and  fpoke  to  her,  and  no  one  objected  to  this,  for  it  was 
thought  likely  that  their  difcourfe  would  laft  long,  fince 
they,  for  fuch  a  length  of  time,  had  not  feen  each  other. 
There  arofe  that  day  a  fight,  and  one  of  the  men  from  the 
northern  mountains  received  a  deadly  wound,  and  was 
carried  down  under  a  bum  on  the  bank  of  the  river :  much 

blood 

101  "  A  fimilar  fancy  for  party-colored  Irifh  monarch  Achy,  a  law  was  enabled 

drefles,"  fays  Moore,  "  exifled  among  regulating   the   number  of   colors   by 

the  Celts  of  Gaul,  and  Diodorus  de-  which  the   garments   of  the  different 

fcribes  the  people  as  wearing  garments  clafles   of   fociety   were   to   be   diflin- 

flowered  with  all  varieties  of  colors,  —  guifhed,  and  from  thefe  party-colored 

Xpoytao-i  iravToSdirois  8iijvdia-p.fvovs,  Lib.  dreffes,  worn  by  the  ancient  Scots  or 

5.     The   braccae,  or  breeches,  was  fo  Irifh,   is  derived  the  prefent  national 

called  from   being   plaided,   the  word  coftume   [ftill   called   brekan\  of  their 

brae   fignifying    in    Celtic    any   thing  descendants  in  North  Britain. — Hift. 

fpeckled  or  party-colored."      Accord-  Ir.,   I.   pp.    109,    no;    O'Brien,   Irijft 

ing    to    O'Brien,    the    Hiberno-Celtic  Did.  in  voce  breac,  Lluyd.  Arch.  Brit, 

word  is  breac.      In  the  reign  of  the  — Beamijh. 


86  Icelandic  Sagas. 

blood  flowed  from  the  wound,  fo  that  there  was  a  pool  of 
blood  in  the  bufh.  There  was  the  boy  Kjartan,  fon  of 
Thurid  of  Froda ;  he  had  a  fmall  axe  in  his  hand ;  he  ran 
to  the  bufh,  and  dipped  the  axe  in  the  blood.  When  the 
men  from  the  fouthern  mountains  rode  fouthwards  from  the 
meeting,  Thord  Blig  afked  Bjorn  how  the  difcourfe  had 
turned  out  betwixt  him  and  Thurid  of  Froda.  Bjorn  faid 
that  he  was  well  contented  therewith.  Then  afked  Thord, 
whether  he  had  that  day  feen  the  lad  Kjartan,  her  and 
Thorodd's  united  fon.  "  Him  faw  I,"  faid  Bjorn.  "  What 
do  you  think  of  him  ? "  quoth  Thord,  again.  Then  chaunted 
Bjorn  this  Have :  — 

A  ftripling,  lo  ! 
With  fearful  eyes 
And  woman's  image, 
Downwards  ran 
To  the  wolf's  lair. 
The  people  fay 
The  youth  knows  not 
His  Viking  father. 

Thord  faid:  "What  will  Thorodd  fay  when  he  hears  of 
your  boy  ? "  Then  fung  Bjorn :  — 

Then  will  the  noble  lady, 
When  preffing  to  her  breaft 
The  image  of  his  father 
In  her  fair  arms  to  reft, 
Admit  Thorodd's  conjecture ; 
For  me  me  ever  loved, 
And  ever  (hall  I  bear  her 
Affection  deep  and  proved. 

Thord 


Icelandic  Sagas.  87 

Thord  faid :  "  It  will  be  better  for  ye  not  to  have  much  to 
do  with  each  other,  and  that  thou  turn  thy  thoughts  from 
Thurid."  "  That  is  furely  a  good  counfel,"  replied  Bjorn, 
"  but  far  is  that  from  my  intention,  although  it  makes  fome 
difference  when  I  have  to  do  with  fuch  a  man  as  Snorri  her 
brother."  "  Thou  wilt  be  forry  for  thy  doings,"  faid  Thord  J 
and  therewith  ended  the  talk  between  them.  Bjorn  went 
home  now  to  Kamb,  and  took  upon  himfelf  the  manage- 
ment of  the  place,  for  his  father  was  then  dead.  In  the 
winter  he  began  his  trips  over  the  heath,  to  vifit  Thurid ; 
and  although  Thorodd  did  not  like  it,  he  yet  faw  that  it  was 
not  eafy  to  find  a  remedy,  and  he  thought  over  with  him- 
felf how  dearly  it  had  cofl  him,  when  he  fought  to  flop 
their  intercourfe;  but  he  faw  that  Bjorn  was  now  much 
ftronger  than  before.  Thorodd  bribed,  in  the  winter,  Thor- 
grim  Galdrakin  to  raife  a  tempeft  againft  Bjorn,  when  he 
was  croffing  the  heath.  Now  it  came  to  pafs  one  day,  that 
Bjorn  came  to  Froda,  and  in  the  evening,  when  he  was 
going  home,  was  there  thick  weather  and  fome  rain ;  and 
he  fet  off  very  late ;  but  when  he  had  gotten  up  on  the 
heath,  the  weather  became  cold,  and  it  mowed ;  and  fo  dark 
that  he  faw  not  the  way  before  him.  After  that  arofe  a 
drift  of  mow,  with  fo  much  fleet  that  he  could  fcarcely  keep 
his  legs ;  his  clothes  were  now  frozen,  for  he  was  before  wet 
through,  and  he  ftrayed  about,  fo  that  he  knew  not  where 
to  turn ;  hit,  at  night,  upon  the  edge  of  a  cave,  went  in, 
and  was  there  for  the  night,  and  had  a  cold  lodging ;  then 
fung  Bjorn:  — 

Fair 


88  Icelandic  Sagas. 


Fair  one !  who  doft  bring 
Veftments  to  the  weary,102 
Little  know'ft  thou  where, 
Hid  in  cavern  dreary, 
I  now  fhelter  feek : 
He  that  once  on  ocean 
Boldly  fleered  a  bark, 
Now  lies  without  motion 
In  a  cavern  dark. 

And  again  he  chaunted :  — 

The  fwan's  cold  region  I  have  crofled 
All  eaftwards  with  a  goodly  freight, 
For  woman's  love,  by  tempeft  toft 
And  feeking  danger  in  the  fight ; 
But  now  no  woman's  couch  I  tread, 
A  rocky  cavern  is  my  bed. 

Bjorn  remained  three  days  in  the  cave,  before  the  weather 
moderated ;  but  on  the  fourth  day  came  he  home  from  the 
heath  to  Kamb.  He  was  much  exhaufted.  The  fervants 
afked  him  where  he  had  been  during  the  tempeft.  Bjorn 
fang:  — 

Well  my  deeds  are  known 
Under  Styrbjorn's  banner, 
Steel-clad  Erik  flew 
Gallant  men  in  battle  ; 
Now  on  mountain  wild, 
Met  by  magic  fhower, 

Outlet 

12  To  the  women  of  the  Northern  ments  to   the   traveller  who  had  fuf- 

family  was  more  particularly  entrufted  fered  from  the  tempeftuoufnefs  of  the 

the  duties  of  hofpitality,  among  which  weather.  —  Antiq.  Amer.,  p.  236,  note 

was  included  that  of  bringing  dry  gar-  a. — Beami/h. 


Icelandic  Sagas.  89 

Outlet  could  not  find 
From  the  Witches'  power. 


K)3 


Bjorn  was  now  at  home  for  the  winter.  In  fpring  his 
brother  Arnbjorn  fixed  his  refidence  at  Bakke  in  Raunhofn, 
but  Bjorn  lived  at  Kamb,  and  kept  a  fplendid  houfe.  .  .  . 

The  fame  fummer  bade  Thorodd  the  Tribute-buyer  his 
brother-in-law  Snorri  Godi  to  a  feaft  at  home  at  Froda,  and 
Snorri  betook  himfelf  thither  with  twenty  men.  And  while 
Snorri  was  at  the  feafl,  difclosed  Thorodd  to  him  how  he 
felt  himfelf  both  difgraced  and  injured  by  the  vifits  which 
Bjorn  Afbrandfon  made  to  Thurid  his  wife,  but  fifter  to 
Snorri  Godi :  Thorodd  faid  that  Snorri  mould  remedy  this 
bad  bufmefs.  Snorri  was  there  a  few  days,  and  Thorodd 
gave  him  coftly  prefents  when  he  went  away.  Snorri  Godi 
rode  from  thence  over  the  heath,  and  gave  out  that  he  was 
going  to  the  fhip  in  the  Bay  of  Raunhofn.  This  was  in 
fummer,  at  the  time  of  haymaking.  But  when  they  came 
fouth  on  Kamb's  heath,  then  faid  Snorri :  "  Now  will  we 
ride  from  the  heath  down  to  Kamb,  and  I  will  tell  you,"  faid 
he,  "  that  I  will  vifit  Bjorn,  and  take  his  life,  if  opportunity 
offers,  but  not  attack  him  in  the  houfe,  for  the  buildings  are 

flrong 

108  Thefe  poetical  effufions  of  Bjorn  "But  trnfteth  wel  I  am  a  Sotheme  man, 

may,   perhaps,   appear    fomewhat   im-  I  cannot  gefte  rom,  ™m  ™f,  by  my  letter 

proLbi   toPEng!gh  readers,   but  the  And  God  ^  ™«J£  tf63S£S£ 
Northmen    of    this    period    exhibited 

great  readinefs  in  a  fpecjes   of  rude  « Cette  finguliere  maniere  de   f'ex- 

verfification,  the  melody  of  which  was  primer  Aoit  pourtant  affez  commune, 

chiefly   formed  on   alliteration.     "As  et  peut    marquer   feule    combien   ces 

late  as  the  time  of  Chaucer,"  fays  Sir  peupies  faifoient  de  cas  de  la  PoeTie." 

Walter  Scott,   "it  was  confidered  as  _ Mallet,  Introd.  d.  VHtft.  de  Danne- 

the  mark  of  a  Northern  man  to  'affect     marc  n   24.7  Beami/h 

the  letter.'"  And  his  parfon  thus 
apologizes  for  not  reciting  a  piece  of 
poetry :  — 


12 


go  Icelandic  Sagas. 

ftrong  here,  and  Bjorn  is  flrong  and  hardy,  and  we  have  but 
little  force ;  and  it  is  well  known  that  men  who  have  come, 
even  fo,  with  great  force,  have,  with  little  fuccefs,  attacked 
fuch  valiant  men,  infide  in  the  houfe,  as  was  the  cafe  with 
Geir  Godi,  and  Giffur  the  white,  when  they  attacked  Gun- 
nar  of  Lidarend,  in  his  houfe,  with  eighty  men,  but  he  was 
there  alone,  and  neverthelefs  were  fome  wounded,  and 
others  killed ;  and  they  had  flayed  the  attack,  had  not  Geir 
Godi,  with  his  heedfulnefs,  obferved  that  he  was  fhort  of 
arms.  But  forafmuch  as,"  continued  he,  "  Bjorn  is  now 
out,  which  may  be  expected,  as  it  is  good  drying  weather, 
fo  appoint  I  thee,  my  kinfman  Mar,  to  fetch  Bjorn  the  firft 
wound ;  but  confider  well  that  he  is  no  man  to  trifle  with, 
and  that,  wherever  he  is,  you  may  expect  a  hard  blow  from 
a  favage  wolf,  if  he,  at  the  onfet,  receives  not  fuch  a  wound 
as  will  caufe  his  death."  And  now  when  they  rode  down  from 
the  moor  to  the  farm,  faw  they  that  Bjorn  was  out  in  the 
homeftead,  working  at  a  fledge,101  and  there  was  nobody 
with  him,  and  no  weapons  had  he  except  a  little  axe,  and  a 
large  knife,  of  a  fpan's  length  from  the  haft,  which  he  ufed 
for  boring  the  holes  in  the  fledge.  Bjorn  faw  that  Snorri 
Godi  with  his  followers  rode  down  from  the  moor  into  the 
field,  and  knew  them  immediately.  Snorri  Godi  was  in  a 
blue  cloak,  and  rode  in  front.  Bjorn  made  an  immediate 
refolve,  and  took  the  knife,  and  went  ftraight  towards  them ; 
when  they  came  together,  he  feized  with  the  one  hand  the 
arm  of  Snorri's  cloak,  and  with  the  other  held  he  the  knife 

in 

104  Small  wooden  unfliod  fledges  are    to  the  haggart,  in  the  fummer  feafon. — 
ufed  in  Scandinavia  for  drawing  in  hay    Beamijh. 


Icelandic  Sagas.  91 

in  fuch  a  manner  as  was  mofl  eafy  for  him  to  flab  Snorri 
through  the  breafl,  if  he  mould  think  fit  to  do  fo.  Bjorn 
greeted  them,  as  they  met,  and  Snorri  greeted  him  again ; 
but  Mar  dropped  his  hands,  for  it  flruck  him  that  Bjorn 
could  foon  hurt  Snorri,  if  any  injury  was  done  to  him. 
Upon  this  Bjorn  went  with  them  on  their  way,  and  afked 
what  news  they  had,  but  held  himfelf  in  the  fame  pofition 
which  he  had  taken  at  the  firfl.  Then  took  up  Bjorn  the 
difcourfe  in  this  manner :  "  It  flands  truly  fo,  friend  Snorri, 
that  I  conceal  not  I  have  acted  towards  you  in  fuch  wife 
that  you  may  well  accufe  me,  and  I  have  been  told  that 
you  have  a  hoftile  intention  towards  me.  Now  it  feems  to 
me  beft,"  continued  he,  "  that  if  you  have  any  bulinefs  with 
me,  other  than  paffing  by  here  to  the  high  road,  you  mould 
let  me  know  it ;  but  be  that  not  the  cafe,  then  would  I  that 
you  grant  me  peace,  and  I  will  then  turn  back,  for  I  go  not 
in  leading  firings."  Snorri  anfwered  :  "  Such  a  lucky  grip 
took  thou  of  me  at  our  meeting,  that  thou  mufl  have  peace 
this  time,  however  it  may  have  been  determined  before ; 
but  this  I  beg  of  thee,  that  from  henceforth  thou  ceafe  to 
inveigle  Thurid,  for  it  will  not  end  well  between  us,  if  thou, 
in  this  refpec~l,  continue  as  thou  hall  begun."  Bjorn  re- 
plied :  "  That  only  will  I  promife  thee  which  I  can  perform, 
but  I  fee  not  how  I  can  hold  to  this,  fo  long  as  Thurid  and 
I  are  in  the  fame  diflric"l."  "  Thou  art  not  fo  much  bound 
to  this  place,"  anfwered  Snorri,  "but  that  thou  couldefl 
eafily  give  up  thy  refidence  here."  Bjorn  replied :  "  True  is 
that  which  thou  fayefl,  and  thus  fhall  it  be ;  fince  you  have 
yourfelf  come  to  me,  and  as  our  meeting  has  thus  turned 
out,  will  I  promife  thee  that  Thorodd  and  thou  shalt  have 

no 


92  Icelandic  Sagas. 

no  more  trouble  about  my  vifits  to  Thurid  for  the  next 
3'ear."  After  this  they  feparated ;  Snorri  Godi  rode  to 
the  fhip,  and  then  home  to  Helgafell.  The  day  following 
rode  Bjorn  fouthwards  to  Raunhofn  to  go  to  fea,  and  he  got 
immediately,  in  the  fummer,  a  place  in  a  fhip,  and  they 
were  very  foon  ready.  They  put  to  fea  with  a  north-eaft 
wind,  which  wind  lafled  long  during  the  fummer;  but  of 
this  fhip  was  nothing  heard  fince  this  long  time. 


VOYAGE  OF  GUDLEIF  GUDLAUGSON. 

A.  D.    1029. 
Eyrbyggja  Saga,  Cap.  64 ;  Vellum  Fragment,  No.  4456,  in  4/0. 

THERE  was  a  man  called  Gudleif ;  he  was  fon  of  Gudlaug 
the  Rich,  of  Straumfjord,  and  brother  of  Thorfinn,  from 
whom  the  Sturlungers  are  defcended.  Gudleif  was  a  great 
merchant,  he  had  a  merchant  fhip,  but  Thorolf  Eyrar  Lopt- 
fon  had  another,  that  time  they  fought  againfl  Gyrd,  fon  of 
Sigvald  Jarl :  then  loft  Gyrd  his  eye.  It  happened  in  the 
laft  years  of  the  reign  of  King  Olaf  the  Saint  that  Gudleif 
undertook  a  trading  voyage  to  Dublin ; 105  but  when  he 
failed  from  the  weft,  intended  he  to  fail  to  Iceland;  he 
failed  then  from  the  weft  of  Ireland,  and  met  with  north- 
eaft  winds,  and  was  driven  far  to  the  weft  and  fouth-weft, 
in  the  fea,  where  no  land  was  to  be  feen.  But  it  was 
already  far  gone  in  the  fummer,  and  they  made  many 

prayers 

106  Some  of  the  MSS.  add  "veflr,"  lying  weftwards  from  Iceland. — Bea- 
fhowing  that  Ireland  was  fpoken  of  as  mi/h. 


Icelandic  Sagas.  93 

prayers  that  they  might  efcape  from  the  fea ;  and  it  came 
to  pafs  that  they  faw  land.  It  was  a  great  land,  but  they 
knew  not  what  land  it  was.  Then  took  they  the  refolve  to 
fail  to  the  land,  for  they  were  weary  of  contending  longer 
with  the  violence  of  the  fea.  They  found  there  a  good 
harbor;  and  when  they  had  been  a  fhort  time  on  more, 
came  people  to  them :  they  knew  none  of  the  people,  but  it 
rather  appeared  to  them  that  they  fpoke  Irifh.106  Soon 
came  to  them  fo  great  a  number  that  it  made  up  many 
hundreds.  Thefe  men  fell  upon  them  and  feized  them  all, 
and  bound  them,  and  drove  them  up  the  country.  There 
were  they  brought  before  an  affembly,  to  be  judged.  They 
underflood  fo  much  that  fome  were  for  killing  them,  but 
others  would  have  them  diflributed  amongft  the  inhabitants, 
arid  made  Haves.  And  while  this  was  going  on,  faw  they 
where  rode  a  great  body  of  men,  and  a  large  banner  was 
borne  in  the  midft.  Then  thought  they  that  there  muft  be 
a  chief  in  the  troop ;  but  when  it  came  near,  faw  they  that 
under  the  banner  rode  a  large  and  dignified  man,  who  was 
much  in  years,  and  whofe  hair  was  white.  All  prefent 
bowed  down  before  the  man,  and  received  him  as  well  as 
they  could.  Now  obferved  they  that  all  opinions  and 
refolutions  concerning  their  bufmefs  were  fubmitted  to  his 
decifion.  Then  ordered  this  man  Gudleif  and  his  com- 
panions to  be  brought  before  him,  and  when  they  had 

come 

106  "En  helzt  J>otti   heim,   fern  )>eir  the  Irifh  ports,  might  be  fuppofed  to 

maelti  irfku."     This  is  a  very  remark-  have  had  juft  fufficient  knowledge  of 

able  paffage,  and  affords  the  ftrongeft  the  language  to  deteft  its  founds  (here 

grounds  for  believing  that  the  country  probably   corrupted),   and    underftand 

to  which  they  were  driven  had  been  the  general  meaning  of  the  words. — 

previously  colonized  from  Ireland.    The  Beamijh. 
Northmen,  from  their  intercourfe  with 


94  Icelandic  Sagas. 

come  before  this  man,  fpoke  he  to  them  in  the  Northern 
tongue,107  and  afked  them  from  what  country  they  came. 
They  anfwered  him  that  the  moft  of  them  were  Icelanders. 
The  man  afked  which  of  them  were  Icelanders  ?  Gudleif 
faid  that  he  was  an  Icelander.  He  then  faluted  the  old 
man,  and  he  received  it  well,  and  afked  from  what  part  of 
Iceland  he  came.  Gudleif  faid  that  he  was  from  that  dif- 
tric~t  which  was  called  Borgafjord.  Then  inquired  he  from 
what  part  of  Borgafjord  he  came,  and  Gudleif  anfwered  juft 
as  it  was.  Then  afked  this  man  about  almoft  every  one  of 
the  principal  men  in  Borgafjord  and  Breidafjord;  and  when 
they  talked  thereon,  inquired  he  minutely  about  every 
thing,  firft  of  Snorri  Godi,  and  his  lifter  Thurid  of  Froda, 
and  moft  about  Kjartan  her  fon.  The  people  of  the 
country  now  called  out,  on  the  other  fide,  that  fome  decifion 
fhould  be  made  about  the  feamen.  After  this  went  the 
great  man  away  from  them,  and  named  twelve  of  his  men 
with  himfelf,  and  they  fat  a  long  time  talking.  Then  went 
they  to  the  meeting  of  the  people,  and  the  old  man  faid  to 
Gudleif :  "  I  and  the  people  of  the  country  have  talked 
together  about  your  bufinefs,  and  the  people  have  left  the 
matter  to  me ;  but  I  will  now  give  ye  leave  to  depart 
whence  ye  will ;  but  although  ye  may  think  that  the  fum- 
mer  is  almoft  gone,  yet  will  I  counfel  ye  to  remove  from 
hence,  for  here  are  the  people  not  to  be  trufted,  and  bad  to 
deal  with,  and  they  think  befides  that  the  laws  have  been 
broken  to  their  injury."  Gudleif  anfwered  :  "  What  mail  we 
fay,  if  fate  permits  us  to  return  to  our  own  country,  who  has 
given  us  this  freedom  ?  "  He  anfwered :  "  That  can  I  not  tell 

you, 

107  Norraenu.     See  antea,  note  30. 


Icelandic  Sagas.  95 

you,  for  I  like  not  that  my  relations  and  fofter-brothers 
fhould  make  fuch  a  journey  hereto,  as  ye  would  have  made, 
if  ye  had  not  had  the  benefit  of  my  help ;  but  now  is  my 
age  fo  advanced  that  I  may  expect  every  hour  old  age  to 
overpower  me ;  and  even  if  I  could  live  yet  for  a  time, 
there  are  here  more  powerful  men  than  me,  who  little  peace 
would  give  to  foreigners  that  might  come  here,  although  they 
be  not  juft  here  in  the  neighborhood  where  ye  landed." 
Then  caufed  he  their  fhip  to  be  made  ready  for  fea,  and  was 
there  with  them,  until  a  fair  wind  fprung  up,  which  was 
favorable  to  take  them  from  the  land.  But  before  they 
feparated  took  this  man  a  gold  ring  from  his  hand,  and 
gave  it  into  the  hands  of  Gudleif,  and  therewith  a  good 
fword ;  then  faid  he  to  Gudleif :  "  If  the  fates  permit  you  to 
come  to  your  own  country,  then  mail  you  take  this  fword 
to  the  yeoman,  Kjartan  of  Froda,  but  the  ring  to  Thurid 
his  mother."  Gudleif  replied :  "  What  mall  I  fay,  about  it, 
as  to  who  fends  them  thefe  valuables?"  He  anfwered : 
"  Say  that  he  fends  them  who  was  a  better  friend  of  the 
lady  of  Froda  than  of  her  brother,  Godi  of  Helgafell ;  but 
if  any  man  therefore  thinks  that  he  knows  who  has  owned 
thefe  articles,  then  fay  thefe  my  words,  that  I  forbid  any 
one  to  come  to  me,  for  it  is  the  moft  dangerous  expedition, 
unlefs  it  happens  as  fortunately  with  others  at  the  landing- 
place  as  with  you ;  but  here  is  the  land  great,  and  bad  as 
to  harbors,  and  in  all  parts  may  flrangers  expect  hoftility, 
when  it  does  not  turn  out  as  has  been  with  you."  After 
this,  Gudleif  and  his  people  put  to  fea,  and  they  landed  in 
Ireland  late  in  harveft,  and  were  in  Dublin  for  the  winter. 
But  in  the  fummer  after,  failed  they  to  Iceland,  and  Gudleif 

delivered 


96 


Icelandic  Sagas. 


delivered  over  there  thefe  valuables ;  and  people  held  it  for 
certain  that  this  man  was  BJORN,  THE  CHAMPION  OF  BREI- 
DAVIK,  and  no  other  account  to  be  relied  on  is  there  in  con- 
firmation of  this,  except  that  which  is  now  given  here.108 


108  The  reader  will  no  doubt  come  to 
the  fame  conclusion  drawn  by  the  Ice- 
landers refpecting  the  identity  of  the 
aged  chief,  to  whofe  generofity  and 
friendly  feeling  Gudleif  and  his  com- 
panions were  fo  much  indebted,  and 
unhefitatingly  pronounce  him  to  have 
been  none  other  than  BJORN  ASBRAND- 
SON,  THE  CHAMPION  OF  BREIDAVIK, 
who,  it  will  be  remembered,  had  fet  fail 
about  thirty  years  before,  with  a  north- 
eaft  wind,  and  had  not  fince  been  heard 
of.  The  remarkable  accordance  of  all 
the  perfonal  details,  to  which  the  writer 
evidently  attaches  the  principal  impor- 
tance, with  the  hiftorical  events,  which 
are  only  incidentally  alluded  to,  enable 
us  to  determine  dates  and  intervals 
of  time  with  a  degree  of  accuracy  that 
places  the  truth  of  the  narrative  be- 
yond all  queftion,  and  gives  a  high  de- 
gree of  intereft  to  thefe  two  voyages. 
The  mention  of  Sigurd  Jarl  of  the  Ork- 
neys, Palnatoki,  Styrbjorn  the  nephew 
of  Erik  of  Sweden,  the  battle  of  Fyrif- 
vold,  Snorri  Godi,  "  the  latter  part  of  the 
reign  of  King  Olaf  the  Saint,"  gives  a 
chronological  character  to  the  narra- 
tives, and  enables  us  to  fix  with  confi- 
dence nearly  the  exact  period  of  the 
principal  events.  Hence  it  appears  that 
Gudleif  Gudlaugfon,failing  from  the  weft 
of  Ireland  in  the  year  1029,  with  a  north- 
eaft  wind,  is  driven  far  to  the  fouth 
and  fouth-weft,  where  no  land  was  to 
be  feen,  and  that,  after  being  expofed 
for  many  days  to  the  violence  of  the 
winds  and  waves,  he  at  length  finds 
Shelter  upon  a  coaft,  where  Bjorn 
Afbrandfon,  who  had  left  Iceland  with 
north-eaft  winds  thirty  years  before, 


had  become  eftabliflied  as  chief  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  country.  He  finds 
him,  as  might  naturally  have  been  ex- 
pected, "Stricken  in  years,"  and  "his 
hair  was  white  ; "  for  Bjorn  had  left  Ice- 
land for  Jomfborg  in  the  prime  of  life, 
had,  after  taking  part  in  the  achieve- 
ments of  the  Jomfvikings  up  to  the 
death  of  Palnatoki  in  993,  returned  to 
and  refided  in  Iceland  until  999,  and 
now  thirty  winters  had  palled  over  his 
head  fince  his  ultimate  departure  from 
his  native  land.  The  locality  of  the 
newly  difcovered  country  is  next  to  be 
determined.  Now  if  a  line  be  drawn 
running  north-eaft  and  fouth-weft,  the 
courfe  of  Bjorn  Afbrandfon,  from  the 
weftern  coaft  of  Iceland,  and  another 
in  the  fame  direction  (the  courfe  of 
Gudleif  Gudlaugfon)  from  the  weft 
coaft  of  Ireland,  they  would  interfect 
each  other  on  the  fouthern  mores  of 
the  United  States,  fomewhere  about 
Carolina  or  Georgia.  This  pofition 
accords  well  with  the  defcription  of  the 
locality  of  their  country,  given  by  the 
Skraelings  to  Thorfinn  Karlfefne,  and 
which  the  Northmen  believed  to  be 
White  Man's  Land,  or  GREAT  IRE- 
LAND, as  alfo  with  the  geographical 
notices  of  the  fame  land  which  have 
been  already  adduced ;  and  when  to 
thefe  evidences  be  added  the  State- 
ments of  Gudleif  and  his  companions 
refpecting  the  language  of  the  natives, 
'•'•which  appeared  to  them  to  be  Irifli" 
there  is  every  reafon  to  conclude  that 
this  was  the  Hvitramannaland,  Alba- 
nia, or  Irland  ed  mikla  of  the  North- 
men. 

The  notices  of  the  country  contained 

in 


Icelandic  Sagas. 


97 


in  thefe  two  narratives  are,  doubtlefs, 
fcanty,  and  merely  incidental,  the  ob- 
ject of  the  narrators  being  evidently 
to  trace  the  romantic  and  adventurous 
career  of  the  Champion  of  Breidavik, 
and  the  perilous  voyage  of  his  country- 
men, but  this  very  circumftance  is  an 
argument  in  favor  of  the  honefty  of  the 
ftatement  as  regards  the  fuppofed  I  rim 
fettlement ;  and  the  fimple  and  unpre- 
tending character  of  both  narratives, 
fupported  as  they  are  by  hiftorical  ref- 
erences, confirmatory  of  the  principal 
events,  gives  to  thefe  incidental  allu- 
fions  a  degree  of  importance  to  which 
they  would  not  otherwife  be  entitled. 


Profeflbr  Rafn  is  of  opinion  that  the 
White  Man's  Land,  or  Great  Ireland 
of  the  Northmen,  was  the  country  fit- 
uated  to  the  fouth  of  Chefapeake  Bay, 
including  North  and  South  Carolina, 
Georgia,  and  Eaft  Florida.  —  Beamijh. 

NOTE.  —  There  are  intimations  in 
Scandinavian  manufcripts  of  other 
voyages  made  to  the  north  and  west, 

—  as  that  of  Erik,  Bifhop  of  Green- 
land, in    1 12 1,  that  of  Adalbrand  and 
Helgafon  in  1285,  and  another  in  1347, 

—  but  of  thefe  the  information  is  too 
indefinite  to  be  in  any  degree  fatisfac- 
tory,  and   accordingly   they  have   not 
been  included  in  this  collection. 


A     SYNOPSIS 

OF  THE 

HISTORICAL   EVIDENCE   CONTAINED   IN  THE 
PRECEDING   PAGES.109 

BY    PROFESSOR    CHARLES    CHRISTIAN    RAFN. 


BIARNE  HERIULFSON'S  VOYAGE  IN  THE  YEAR  986. 

|RIK  THE  RED,  in  the  fpring  of  986,  emigrated 
from  Iceland  to  Greenland,  formed  a  fettlement 
there,  and  fixed  his  refidence  at  Brattahlid  in 
Eriksfiord.  Among  others  who  accompanied 
him  was  Heriulf  Bardfon,  who  eflablifhed  him- 
felf  at  Heriulfsnes.  BIARNE,  the  fon  of  the  latter,  was  at 
that  time  abfent  on  a  trading  voyage  to  Norway ;  but  in 
the  courfe  of  the  fummer  returning  to  Eyrar,  in  Iceland, 
and  finding  that  his  father  had  taken  his  departure,  this 
bold  navigator  refolved  "  ftill  to  fpend  the  following  winter, 
like  all  the  preceding  ones,  with  his  father,"  although  neither 
he  nor  any  of  his  people  had  ever  navigated  the  Greenland 

fea. 

109  From  "  Antiquitates  Americans, "  collated  with  the  American  reprint  of 
1838. 


Synopsis  of  the  Rmdence.  99 

fea.  They  fet  fail,  but  met  with  northerly  winds  and  fogs, 
and,  after  many  days'  failing,  knew  not  whither  they  had 
been  carried.  At  length,  when  the  weather  again  cleared 
up,  they  faw  a  land  which  was  without  mountains,  over- 
grown with  wood,  and  having  many  gentle  elevations.  As 
this  land  did  not  correfpond  to  the  defcriptions  of  Green- 
land, they  left  it  on  the  larboard  hand,  and  continued  fail- 
ing two  days,  when  they  faw  another  land,  which  was  flat, 
and  overgrown  with  wood.  From  thence  they  flood  out  to 
fea,  and  failed  three  days  with  a  fouth-weft  wind,  when  they 
faw  a  third  land,  which  was  high  and  mountainous,  and 
covered  with  icebergs  (glaciers);  they  coafled  along  the 
fhore,  and  faw  that  it  was  an  ifland.  They  did  not  go  on 
fliore,  as  Biarne  did  not  find  the  country  to  be  inviting. 
Bearing  away  from  this  ifland,  they  flood  out  to  fea  with 
the  fame  wind,  and,  after  four  days'  failing  with  frefh  gales, 
they  reached  Heriulfsnes,  in  Greenland. 

DISCOVERIES    OF    LEIF    ERIKSON,   AND    FIRST    SETTLEMENT    OF 

VINELAND. 

Some  time  after  this,  probably  in  the  year  994,  Biarne 
paid  a  vifit  to  Erik,  Earl  of  Norway,  and  told  him  of  his 
voyage,  and  of  the  unknown  lands  he  had  difcovered.  He 
was  blamed  by  many  for  not  having  examined  thefe  countries 
more  accurately.  On  his  return  to  Greenland,  there  was 
much  talk  about  undertaking  a  voyage  of  difcovery.  LEIF, 
a  fon  of  Erik  the  Red,  bought  Biarne's  fhip,  and  equipped 
it  with  a  crew  of  thirty-five  men,  among  whom  was  a  Ger- 
man, of  the  name  of  TYRKER,  who  had  long  refided  with  his 

father, 


ioo  Synopsis  of 

father,  and  who  had  been  very  fond  of  Leif  in  his  child- 
hood. In  the  year  1000  they  commenced  the  projected 
voyage,  and  came  firft  to  the  land  which  Biarne  had  feen 
laft.  They  caft  anchor  and  went  on  more.  No  grafs  was 
feen ;  but  everywhere  in  this  country  were  vaft  ice-moun- 
tains (glaciers),  and  the  intermediate  fpace  between  thefe 
and  the  more  was,  as  it  were,  one  uniform  plain  of 
flate  (hello) :  the  country  appearing  to  them  deftitute  of 
good  qualities,  they  called  it  HELLULAND.  They  put  out 
to  fea,  and  came  to  another  land  where  they  alfo  went  on 
more.  The  country  was  level  (JTetf)  and  covered  with 
woods,  and,  wherefoever  they  went,  there  were  cliffs  of  white 
fand  (fand-ar  hvitir),  and  a  low  coaft  (6-fce-bratf] ;  they 
called  the  country  MARKLAND  (Woodland).  From  thence 
they  again  flood  out  to  fea,  with  a  north-eaft  wind,  and 
continued  failing  for  two  days  before  they  made  land  again. 
They  then  came  to  an  ifland  which  lay  to  the  eaftward  of 
the  mainland,  and  entered  a  channel  between  this  ifland 
and  a  promontory  projecting  in  an  eafterly  (and  northerly) 
direction  from  the  mainland.  They  failed  weftward  in 
waters  where  there  was  much  ground  left  dry  at  ebb-tide. 
Afterwards  they  went  on  more  at  a  place  where  a  river, 
iffuing  from  a  lake,  fell  into  the  fea.  They  brought  their 
fhip  into  the  river,  and  from  thence  into  the  lake,  where 
they  caft  anchor.  Here  they  conftrucled  fome  temporary 
log-huts;  but,  afterwards,  when  they  had  made  up  their 
mind  to  winter  there,  they  built  large  houfes,  afterwards 
called  LEIFSBUDIR  (Leifsbooths).  When  the  buildings  were 
completed,  Leif  divided  his  people  into  two  companies,  who 
were  by  turns  employed  in  keeping  watch  at  the  houfes, 

and 


the  Evidence.  101 

and  in  making  fmall  excurfions  for  the  purpofe  of  exploring 
the  country  in  the  vicinity :  his  inftruclions  to  them  were, 
that  they  mould  not  go  to  a  greater  diftance  than  that  they 
might  return  in  the  courfe  of  the  fame  evening,  and  that 
they  mould  not  feparate  from  one  another.  Leif  took  his 
turn  alfo,  joining  the  exploring  party  the  one  day,  and  re- 
maining at  the  houfes  the  other.  It  fo  happened  that  one 
day  the  German,  Tyrker,  was  miffing.  Leif  accordingly 
went  out  with  twelve  men  in  fearch  of  him,  but  they  had 
not  gone  far  from  their  houfes,  when  they  met  him  coming 
towards  them.  When  Leif  inquired  why  he  had  been  fo 
long  abfent,  he  at  firfl  answered  in  German,  but  they  did 
not  underftand  what  he  faid.  He  then  faid  to  them  in  the 
Norfe  tongue :  "  I  did  not  go  much  farther,  yet  I  have  a 
difcovery  to  acquaint  you  with ;  I  have  found  vines  and 
grapes."  He  added,  by  way  of  confirmation,  that  he  had 
been  born  in  a  country  where  there  was  plenty  of  vines. 
They  had  now  two  occupations ;  viz.,  to  hew  timber  for 
loading  the  fhip,  and  collect  grapes :  with  thefe  laft  they 
filled  the  fhip's  long-boat.  Leif  gave  a  name  to  the  coun- 
try, and  called  it  VINLAND  ( Vineland}.  In  the  fpring  they 
failed  again  from  thence,  and  returned  to  Greenland. 

THORWALD    ERIKSON's    EXPEDITION    TO    MORE    SOUTHERN 

REGIONS. 

Leif's  Vineland  voyage  was  now  a  fubjecl:  of  frequent 
converfation  in  Greenland,  and  his  brother  THORWALD  was 
of  opinion  that  the  country  had  not  been  fufficiently  ex- 
plored. He  accordingly  borrowed  Leif's  fhip,  and,  aided 

by 


IO2  Synopsis  of 

by  his  brother's  counfel  and  directions,  commenced  a  voy- 
age in  the  year  1002.  He  arrived  at  Leifsbooths,  in  Vine- 
land,  where  they  fpent  the  winter,  he  and  his  crew  employing 
themfelves  in  riming.  In  the  fpring  of  1003  Thorwald  fent 
a  party  in  the  fhip's  long-boat  on  a  voyage  of  difcovery 
fouthwards.  They  found  •  the  country  beautiful  and  well 
wooded,  with  but  little  space  between  the  woods  and  the 
fea;  there  were  likewife  extenfive  ranges  of  white  fand,  and 
many  iflands  and  mallows.  They  found  no  traces  of  men 
having  been  there  before  them,  excepting  on  an  ifland  lying 
to  the  weftward,  where  they  found  a  wooden  med.  They 
did  not  return  to  Leifsbooths  until  the  fall.  In  the  follow- 
ing fummer,  1004,  Thorwald  failed  eaftward  with  the  large 
fhip,  and  then  northward  paft  a  remarkable  headland  enclof- 
ing  a  bay,  and  which  was  oppofite  to  another  headland. 
They  called  it  KIALARNES  (Keel-Cape}.  From  thence  they 
failed  along  the  eaftern  coaft  of  the  land,  into  the  neareft 
firths,  to  a  promontory  which  there  projected,  and  which 
was  everywhere  overgrown  with  wood.  There  Thorwald 
went  afhore  with  all  his  companions.  He  was  fo  pleafed 
with  this  place  that  he  exclaimed :  "  This  is  beautiful !  and 
here  I  mould  like  well  to  fix  my  dwelling ! "  Afterwards, 
when  they  were  preparing  to  go  on  board,  they  obferved  on 
the  fandy  beach,  within  the  promontory,  three  hillocks,  and 
repairing  thither  they  found  three  canoes,  under  each  of 
which  were  three  Skraelings  (Efquimaux) ;  they  came  to 
blows  with  the  latter,  and  killed  eight,  but  the  ninth  efcaped 
with  his  canoe.  Afterwards  a  countlefs  number  iffued  forth 
againft  them  from  the  interior  of  the  bay.  They  endeav- 
ored to  protect  themfelves  by  raifing  battle  fcreens  on  the 

mips 


the  Evidence.  103 

fhip's  fide.  The  Skraelings  continued  fhooting  at  them  for 
awhile,  and  then  retired.  Thorwald  was  wounded  by  an 
arrow  under  the  arm ;  and,  finding  that  the  wound  was 
mortal,  he  faid :  "  I  now  advife  you  to  prepare  for  your  de- 
parture as  foon  as  poffible,  but  me  ye  mail  bring  to  the 
promontory,  where  I  thought  it  good  to  dwell ;  it  may  be 
that  it  was  a  prophetic  word  that  fell  from  my  mouth  about 
my  abiding  there  for  a  feafon ;  there  mall  ye  bury  me,  and 
plant  a  crofs  at  my  head,  and  another  at  my  feet,  and  call 
the  place  KROSSANES  (Croffnefs)  in  all  time  coming."  He 
died,  and  they  did  as  he  had  ordered.  Afterwards,  they 
returned  to  their  companions  at  Leifsbooths,  and  fpent  the 
winter  there;  but,  in  the  fpring  of  1005,  they  failed  again 
to  Greenland,  having  important  intelligence  to  communi- 
cate to  Leif. 


UNSUCCESSFUL   ATTEMPT   OF   THORSTEIN   ERIKSON. 

Thorftein,  Erik's  third  fon,  had  refolved  to  proceed  to 
Vineland  to  fetch  his  brother's  body.  He  fitted  out  the 
fame  fhip,  and  felecled  twenty-five  ftrong  and  able-bodied 
men  for  his  crew :  his  wife,  Gudrida,  alfo  went  along  with 
him.  They  were  toffed  about  the  ocean  during  the  whole 
fummer,  and  knew  not  whither  they  were  driven ;  but  at 
the  clofe  of  the  firft  week  of  winter  they  landed  at  Lyfufiord, 
in  the  weftern  fettlement  of  Greenland.  There  Thorftein 
died  during  the  winter ;  and,  in  the  fpring,  Gudrida  returned 
again  to  Eriksfiord. 

Settlement 


Synopsis  of 


SETTLEMENT   EFFECTED    IN    VINELAND,    BY   THORFINN. 

In  the  following  fummer,  1006,  there  arrived  in  Green- 
land two  fhips  from  Iceland :  the  one  was  commanded  by 
THORFINN,  having  the  very  fignificant  furname  of  KARL- 
SEFNE  (i.e.,  one  who  promifes,  or  is  deftined  to  be  an  able  or 
great  man),  a  wealthy  and  powerful  man,  of  illuftrious  line- 
age, and  fprung  from  Danifh,  Norwegian,  Swedifh,  Irifh, 
and  Scottifh  anceftors,  fome  of  whom  were  kings  or  of  royal 
defcent.  He  was  accompanied  by  SNORRE  THORBRANDSON, 
who  was  alfo  a  man  of  diftinguifhed  lineage.  The  other 
fhip  was  commanded  by  BIARNE  GRIMOLFSON,  of  Breide- 
fiord,  and  THORHALL  GAMLASON,  of  Auftfiord.  They  kept 
the  feftival  of  Yule,  or  Chriftmas,  at  Brattahlid.  Thorfmn 
became  enamoured  of  Gudrida,  and  obtained  the  confent  of 
her  brother-in-law,  Leif ;  and  their  marriage  was  celebrated 
in  the  courfe  of  the  winter.  On  this,  as  on  former  occafions, 
the  voyage  to  Vineland  formed  a  favorite  theme  of  conver- 
fation,  and  Thorfinn  was  urged  both  by  his  wife  and  others 
to  undertake  fuch  a  voyage.  It  was  accordingly  refolved 
on.  In  the  fpring  of  1007,  Karlfefne  and  Snorre  fitted  out 
their  (hip,  and  Biarne  and  Thorhall  likewife  equipped  theirs. 
A  third  fhip  (being  that  in  which  Gudrida's  father,  Thor- 
biorn,  had  formerly  come  to  Greenland)  was  commanded 
by  THORWARD,  who  was  married  to  FREYDISA,  a  natural 
daughter  of  Erik  the  Red  ;  and  on  board  the  fhip  was  alfo 
a  man  of  the  name  of  THORHALL,  who  had  long  ferved  Erik 
as  huntfman  in  fummer  and  as  houfe-fteward  in  winter,  and 
who  had  much  acquaintance  with  the  uncolonized  parts  of 

Greenland. 


the  Evidence.  105 

Greenland.  The  whole  expedition  confifted  of  one  hundred 
and  fixty  men ;  and  they  took  with  them  all  kinds  of  live 
ftock,  it  being  their  intention  to  eflablifh  a  colony,  if  pofli- 
ble.  They  failed  firfl  to  the  Wefterbygd,  and  afterwards  to 
Biarney  (Difco).  From  thence  they  failed  in  a  foutherly 
direction  to  HELLULAND,  where  they  found  many  foxes ;  and 
again  two  days  in  a  foutherly  direction  to  MARKLAND, — 
a  country  overgrown  with  wood,  and  plentifully  flocked 
with  animals.  Leaving  this,  they  continued  in  a  fouth-weft 
direction  for  a  long  time,  having  the  land  to  ftarboard,  until 
they  at  length  came  to  KIALARNES,  where  there  were  track- 
lefs  deferts  and  long  beaches  and  fands,  called  by  them 
FURDUSTRANDIR.  Faffing  thefe,  they  found  the  land  in- 
dented by  inlets.  They  had  two  Scots  with  them,  HAKE 
and  HEKIA,  whom  Leif  had  formerly  received  from  the 
Norwegian  king,  Olaf  Tryggvafon,  and  who  were  very  fwift 
of  foot.  They  put  them  on  more,  recommending  them  to 
proceed  in  a  fouth-weft  direction,  and  explore  the  coun- 
try. After  the  lapfe  of  three  days  they  returned,  bringing 
with  them  fome  grapes  and  fome  ears  of  wheat,  which  grew 
wild  in  that  region.  They  continued  their  courfe  until  they 
came  to  a  place  where  a  firth  penetrated  far  into  the  coun- 
try. Off  the  mouth  of  it  was  an  ifland,  paft  which  there 
ran  ftrong  currents,  which  was  alfo  the  cafe  farther  up  the 
firth.  On  the  ifland  there  were  an  immenfe  number  of 
eider-ducks,  fo  that  it  was  fcarcely  poffible  to  walk  without 
treading  on  their  eggs.  They  called  the  ifland  STRAUMEY 
(Stream  Ifle),  and  the  firth  STRAUMFIORDR  (Stream  Firt/i). 
They  landed  on  the  more  of  this  firth,  and  made  prepara- 
tions for  their  winter  refidence.  The  country  was  extremely 

beautiful. 
14 


io6  Synopsis  of 

beautiful.  They  confined  their  operations  to  exploring  the 
country.  Thorhall  afterwards  wifhed  to  proceed  in  a  north 
direction  in  queft  of  Vineland.  Karlfefne  chofe  rather  to 
go  to  the  fouth-weft.  Thorhall,  and  eight  men  with  him, 
quitted  them,  and  failed  paft  Fursuftrandir  and  Kialarnes ; 
but  they  were  driven  by  wefterly  gales  to  the  coaft  of  Ireland, 
where,  according  to  the  accounts  of  fome  traders,  they  were 
beaten  and  made  flaves.  Karlfefne,  together  with  Snorre 
and  Biarne,  and  the  reft  of  the  mips'  companies,  in  all  one 
hundred  and  thirty-one  (CXXXI.)  men,  failed  fouthwards, 
and  arrived  at  the  place  where  a  river  falls  into  the  fea  from 
a  lake.  Oppofite  to  the  mouth  of  the  river  were  large 
iflands.  They  fleered  into  the  lake,  and  called  the  place 
HOP  (i  Hope).  On  the  low  grounds  they  found  fields  of 
wheat  growing  wild ;  and  on  the  riling  ground,  vines.  While 
looking  about  one  morning,  they  obferved  a  great  number 
of  canoes.  As  they  exhibited  friendly  fignals,  the  canoes 
approached  nearer  to  them,  and  the  natives  looked  with 
aftonifhment  at  thofe  they  met  there.  Thefe  people  were 
fallow,  and  ill-looking ;  had  ugly  heads  of  hair,  large  eyes, 
and  broad  cheeks.  After  they  had  gazed  at  them  for  awhile, 
they  rowed  away  again  to  the  fouth-weft  paft  the  cape. 
Karlfefne  and  his  company  had  erected  their  dwelling- 
houfes  a  little  above  the  bay,  and  there  they  fpent  the  win- 
ter. No  fnow  fell,  and  the  cattle  found  their  food  in  the 
open  field.  One  morning  early,  in  the  beginning  of  1008, 
they  defcried  a  number  of  canoes  coming  from  the  fouth-weft 
paft  the  cape.  Karlfefne  having  held  up  a  white  fhield  as  a 
friendly  fignal,  they  drew  nigh,  and  immediately  commenced 
bartering.  Thefe  people  chofe  in  preference  red  cloth,  and 

gave 


the  Evidence.  107 

gave  furs  and  fquirrel  (kins  in  exchange.  They  would  fain 
alfo  have  bought  fwords  and  fpears,  but  thefe  Karlfefne  and 
Snorre  prohibited  their  people  from  felling.  In  exchange 
for  a  fkin,  entirely  gray,  the  Skraelings  took  a  piece  of  cloth 
of  a  fpan  in  breadth,  and  bound  it  round  their  heads.  Their 
barter  was  carried  on  in  this  way  for  fome  time.  The  North- 
men found  that  their  cloth  was  beginning  to  grow  fcarce, 
whereupon  they  cut  it  up  in  fmaller  pieces,  not  broader 
than  a  finger's  breadth ;  yet  the  Skraelings  gave  as  much  for 
thefe  fmaller  pieces  as  they  had  formerly  given  for  the  larger 
ones,  or  even  more.  Karlfefne  alfo  caufed  the  women  to 
make  and  pour  out  milk  foup,  and  the  Skraelings  relifhing 
the  tafte  of  it,  they  defired  to  buy  it  in  preference  to  every 
thing  elfe ;  fo  they  wound  up  their  traffic  by  carrying  away 
their  bargains  in  their  ftomachs.  Whilft  this  trade  was 
going  on,  it  happened  that  a  bull,  which  Karlfefne  had 
brought  along  with  him,  came  out  of  the  wood  and  bellowed 
loudly.  At  this  the  Skraelings  became  terrified,  rufhed  to 
their  canoes,  and  rowed  away  fouthwards.  About  this  time, 
Gudrida,  Karlfefne's  wife,  gave  birth  to  a  fon,  who  received 
the  name  of  SNORRE.  In  the  beginning  of  the  following 
winter  the  Skraelings  came  again  in  much  greater  numbers ; 
they  fhowed  fymptoms  of  hoftility,  fetting  up  loud  yells. 
Karlfefne  caufed  the  red  fhield  to  be  borne  againft  them, 
whereupon  they  advanced  againft  each  other,  and  a  battle 
commenced.  There  was  a  galling  difcharge  of  miffiles. 
The  Skraelings  had  a  fort  of  war  flings ;  they  elevated  on  a 
pole  a  tremendoufly  large  ball,  almoft  the  fize  of  a  fheep's 
ftomach,  and  of  a  bluifh  color ;  this  they  fwung  from  the 
pole  upon  land  over  Karlfefne's  people,  and  it  defcended 

with 


io8  Synopsis  of 

with  a  fearful  crafh.  This  ftruck  terror  into  the  Northmen, 
and  they  fled  along  the  river.  Freydifa  came  out,  and  fee- 
ing them  flying,  fhe  exclaimed  :  "  How  can  ftout  men  like 
you  fly  from  thefe  miferable  caitiffs,  whom  I  thought  you 
could  knock  down  like  cattle !  If  I  had  only  a  weapon,  I 
ween  I  could  fight  better  than  any  of  you ! "  They  heeded 
not  her  words.  She  tried  to  keep  pace  with  them,  but  the 
advanced  ftate  of  her  pregnancy  retarded  her  :  she,  however, 
followed  them  into  the  wood.  There  fhe  encountered  a 
dead  body :  it  was  THORBRAND  SNORRASON  ;  a  flat  flone 
was  flicking  faft  in  his  head,  and  his  naked  fword  lay  by  his 
fide ;  this  fhe  took  up,  and  prepared  to  defend  herfelf.  She 
uncovered  her  bofom,  and  ftruck  it  with  the  naked  fword. 
At  this  fight  the  Skraelings  became  terrified,  and  ran  off  to 
their  canoes.  Karlfefne  and  the  reft  now  came  up  to  her, 
and  praifed  her  courage.  They  were  now  become  aware 
that,  although  the  country  held  out  many  advantages,  ftill 
the  life  that  they  would  have  to  lead  here  would  be  one  of 
conftant  alarm  from  the  hoftile  attacks  of  the  natives.  They 
therefore  made  preparations  for  departure,  with  the  refolu- 
tion  of  returning  to  their  own  country.  Sailing  eaftward, 
they  arrived  in  Streamfirth.  Karlfefne  then  took  one  of  the 
fhips,  and  failed  in  queft  of  Thorhall,  while  the  reft  remained 
behind.  They  proceeded  northwards  round  Kialarnes,  and, 
after  that,  were  carried  to  the  north-weft.  The  land  lay  to 
the  larboard  of  them ;  there  were  thick  forefts  in  all  direc- 
tions, as  far  as  they  could  fee,  with  fcarcely  any  open  fpace. 
They  confidered  the  hills  at  Hope,  and  thofe  which  they 
now  faw,  as  forming  part  of  one  continued  range.  They 
fpent  the  third  winter  at  Streamfirth.  Karlfefne's  fon, 

Snorre, 


the  Evidence.  109 

Snorre,  was  now  three  years  of  age.  When  they  failed 
from  Vineland,  they  had  foutherly  wind,  and  came  to  Mark- 
land,  where  they  met  with  five  Skraelings.  They  caught 
two  of  them  (two  boys),  whom  they  carried  away  with  them, 
and  taught  them  the  Norfe  language,  and  baptized  them. 
Thefe  children  faid  that  their  mother  was  called  VETHILLDI, 
and  their  father  UV/EGE  ;  they  faid  that  the  Skraelings  were 
ruled  by  chieftains  (kings),  one  of  whom  was  called  AVALL- 
DAMON,  and  the  other  VALDIDIDA  ;  that  there  were  no  houfes 
in  the  country,  but  that  the  people  dwelt  in  holes  and  cav- 
erns. Biarne  Grimolfson  was  driven  into  the  Irim  Ocean, 
and  came  into  waters  that  were  fo  infefted  with  worms  that 
their  fhip  was  in  confequence  reduced  to  a  finking  ftate. 
Some  of  the  crew,  however,  were  faved  in  the  boat,  as  it 
had  been  fmeared  with  feal-oil  tar,  which  is  a  preventive 
againft  the  attack  of  worms.  Karlfefne  continued  his  voy- 
age to  Greenland,  and  arrived  at  Eriksfiord. 

VOYAGE    OF    FREYDISA,    HELGE,    AND    FINNBOGE  |    THORFINN 
SETTLES    IN    ICELAND. 

During  the  fame  fummer,  ion,  there  arrived  in  Green- 
land a  fhip  from  Norway,  commanded  by  two  brothers, 
from  Auftfiord  in  Iceland,  HELGE  and  FINNBOGE,  who 
paffed  the  following  winter  in  Greenland.  FREYDISA  went 
to  them,  and  propofed  a  voyage  to  Vineland,  on  the  condi- 
tion that  they  mould  mare  equally  with  her  in  all  the  profits 
which  the  voyage  might  yield :  to  this  they  affented.  Frey- 
difa  and  thefe  brothers  entered  into  a  mutual  agreement 
that  each  party  mould  have  thirty  able-bodied  men  on  board 

their 


1 1  o  Synopsis  of 

their  fhip,  befides  women ;  but  Freydifa  immediately  devi- 
ated from  the  agreement,  and  took  with  her  five  additional 
men,  whom  me  concealed.  In  1012  they  arrived  at  Leifs- 
booths,  where  they  fpent  the  following  winter.  The  con- 
duct of  Freydifa  occafioned  a  coolnefs  and  diftance  between 
the  parties ;  and  by  her  fubtle  arts  me  ultimately  prevailed 
on  her  hufband  to  maffacre  the  brothers  and  their  followers. 
After  the  perpetration  of  this  bafe  deed,  they,  in  the  fpring 
of  1013,  returned  to  Greenland,  where  Thorfinn  lay  ready 
to  fail  for  Norway,  and  was  waiting  for  a  fair  wind:  the 
fhip  he  commanded  was  fo  richly  laden,  that  it  was  generally 
admitted  that  a  more  valuable  cargo  had  never  left  Green- 
land. As  foon  as  the  wind  became  favorable  he  failed  to 
Norway,  where  he  fpent  the  following  winter,  and  fold  his 
goods.  Next  year,  when  he  was  ready  to  fail  for  Iceland, 
there  came  a  German  from  Bremen,  who  wanted  to  buy  a 
piece  of  wood  from  him :  he  gave  for  it  half  a  mark  of  gold : 
it  was  the  wood  of  the  Mazer-tree,  from  Vineland.  Karl- 
fefne  went  to  Iceland,  and  in  the  following  year,  1015,  he 
bought  the  Glaumbce  eflate,  in  Skagefiord,  in  the  northland 
quarter,  where  he  refided  during  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
His  fon,  Snorre,  who  had  been  born  in  America,  was  his 
fucceffor  on  this  eflate.  When  the  latter  married,  his 
mother  made  a  pilgrimage  to  Rome,  and  afterwards  returned 
to  her  fon's  houfe  at  Glaumboe,  where  he  had  in  the  mean 
time  ordered  a  church  to  be  built.  The  mother  lived  long 
as  a  religious  reclufe.  A  numerous  and  illuflrious  race  de- 
fcended  from  Karlfefne,  among  whom  may  be  mentioned 
the  learned  bifhop  Thorlak  Runolfson,  born  in  1085,  of 
Snorre's  daughter,  Halfrida,  to  whom  we  are  principally 

indebted 


the  Evidence. 


1 1 1 


indebted  for  the  oldeft  ecclefiaftical  Code  of  Iceland,  pub- 
lifhed  in  the  year  1 123  ;  it  is  alfo  probable  that  the  accounts 
of  the  voyages  here  mentioned  were  originally  compiled 
by  him. 


THE   OPINION   OF   PROFESSOR   RAFN 

AS   TO  THE 

IDENTITY  OF  THE  PLACES  VISITED  ON  THE  AMERICAN 
COAST  BY  THE  SCANDINAVIAN  VOYAGERS. 


A  SURVEY  OF  THE  PRECEDING  EVIDENCE. 

GEOGRAPHY  AND  HYDROGRAPHY. 

IT  is  a  fortunate  circumftance  that  thefe  ancient  accounts 
have  preferved  not  only  geographical,  but  alfo  nautical  and 
aftronomical  fafls,  that  may  ferve  in  fixing  the  pofition  of 
the  lands  and  places  named.  The  nautical  fafls  are  of  fpe- 
cial  importance,  although  hitherto  they  have  not  been  fufri- 
ciently  attended  to ;  thefe  confift  in  ftatements  of  the  courfe 
fleered  and  the  diftance  failed  in  a  day./  From  data  in  the 
Landnama  and  feveral  other  ancient  Icelandic  geographical 
works,  we  may  gather  that  the  diftance  of  a  day's  failing 
was  eftimated  at  twenty-feven  to  thirty  geographical  miles 
(German  or  Danifh,  of  which  fifteen  are  equal  to  a  degree, 

each 


Identity  of  the  Places  Visited.     113 

each  of  thefe  being,  accordingly,  equal  to  four  Englifh  fea- 
miles).  From  the  ifland  of  HELLULAND,  afterwards  called 
little  Helluland,  Biarne  failed  to  Heriulfsnes  (Ikigeit\  in 
Greenland,  with  ftrong  fouth-wefterly  gales,  in  four  days. 
The  diflance  between  that  cape  and  Newfoundland  is  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  which  will  correfpond,  when 
we  take  into  conlideration  the  flrong  gales.  In  modern 
defcriptions  it  is  ftated  that  this  land  partly  confifts  of  naked 
rocky  flats,  where  no  tree,  nor  even  a  fhrub,  can  grow,  and 
which  are  therefore  ufually  called  Barrens ;  thus  anfwer- 
ing  completely  to  the  hellur  of  the  ancient  Northmen,  from 
which  they  named  the  country. 

MARKLAND  was  fituate  to  the  fouth-weft  of  Helluland,  dif- 
tant  about  three  days'  fail,  or  from  eighty  to  ninety  miles. 
Here,  then,  we  have  Nova  Scotia,  of  which  the  defcriptions 
given  by  later  writers  anfwer  to  that  given  by  the  ancient 
Northmen  of  Markland :  "  the  land  is  low  in  general ; " 
"the  coaft  to  the  fea-ward  being  level  and  low,  and  the 
mores  marked  with  white  rocks ; "  "  the  land  is  low,  with 
white  fandy  cliffs,  particularly  vifible  at  fea,"  fays  the  new 
"  North  American  Pilot,"  by  J.  W.  Norie,  and  another 
American  failor :  "  on  the  more  are  fome  cliffs  of  exceed- 
ingly white  fand,"  Here  "  level"  correfponds  completely  to 
the  Icelandic  "Jlett,"  "low  to  the  fea-ward"  to  the  fhort 
expreffion  "  6-fce-bratt"  and  "  white  fandy  cliffs "  to  the 
"  hvit-ir  fand-ar"  of  the  Northmen.  Nova  Scotia,  as  alfo 
New  Brunfwick  and  Lower  Canada,  fituate  more  in-land, 
which  probably  may  be  confidered  as  all  belonging  to  the 
Markland  of  the  Northmen,  are  almoft  everywhere  covered 
with  immenfe  forefts. 

VINLAND 
15 


1 14  Identity  of  the 

VINLAND  was  fituate  at  the  diftance  of  two  days'  fail,  con- 
fequently  from  fifty-four  to  fixty  miles,  in  a  fouth-wefterly 
direction  from  Markland.  The  diftance  from  Cape  Sable 
to  Cape  Cod  is  ftated  in  nautical  works  as  being  weft  by 
fouth  about  feventy  leagues ;  that  is,  about  two  hundred 
miles.  Biarne's  defcription  of  the  coaft  is  very  accurate, 
and  in  the  ifland  fituate  to  the  eaftward  (between  which  and 
the  promontory  that  ftretches  to  eaftward  and  northward 
Leif  failed)  we  recognize  Nantucket.  The  ancient  North- 
men found  there  many  mallows  (grunnftzfui  mikit) ; 
modern  navigators  make  mention  at  the  fame  place  "of 
numerous  reefs  and  other  Ihoals,"  and  fay  "  that  the  whole 
prefents  an  afpecl:  of  drowned  land." 

KIALARNES  (from  kiolr,  a  keel,  and  nes,  a  cape,  moft  likely 
fo  named  on  account  of  its  ftriking  refemblance  to  the  keel 
of  a  fhip,  particularly  of  one  of  the  long  fhips  of  the  ancient 
Northmen)  muft  confequently  be  Cape  Cod,  the  NAUSET  of 
the  Indians,  which  modern  geographers  have  fometimes 
likened  to  a  Horn,  and  fometimes  to  a  Sickle,  or  Scythe. 
The  ancient  Northmen  found  here  trac kiefs  deferts  (6r<zfi\ 
and  long  narrow  beaches  and  fand-hills,  or  fands  (Jlrandir 
langar  ok  fandar)  of  a  very  peculiar  appearance,  on  which 
account  they  called  them  FURDUSTRANDIR  ( Wonder-ftrands, 
from  furda,  res  miranda,  and  ftrond,  ftrand,  beach).  Com- 
pare the  defcription  given  of  this  cape  by  a  modern  author, 
Hitchcock :  "  The  Dunes,  or  fand-hills,  which  are  often 
nearly  or  quite  barren  of  vegetation,  and  of  fnowy  white- 
Ktis,  forcibly  attract  the  attention  on  account  of  their  pecu- 
liarity. As  we  approach  the  extremity  of  the  cape,  the  fand 
and  barrennefs  increafe;  and  in  not  a  few  places  it  would 

need 


Places  Visited.  1 1 5 

need  only  a  party  of  Bedouin  Arabs  to  crofs  the  traveller's 
path,  to  make  him  feel  that  he  was  in  the  depths  of  an 
Arabian  or  Libyan  defert?  A  remarkable  natural  phe- 
nomenon, which  is  obferved  there,  has  alfo  moft  probably 
had  a  (hare  in  giving  rife  to  that  peculiar  name.  It  is  thus 
defcribed  by  the  fame  author:  "  In  crofling  the fands  of  the 
cape,  I  noticed  ajingular  mirage  or  deception.  In  Orleans, 
for  inflance,  we  feemed  to  be  afcending  at  an  angle  of  three 
or  four  degrees ;  nor  was  I  convinced  that  fuch  was  not  the 
cafe,  until  turning  about  I  perceived  that  a  fimilar  afcent 
appeared  in  the  road  juft  paffed  over.  I  fhall  not  attempt 
to  explain  this  optical  deception,  but  merely  remark  that 
it  is  probably  of  the  fame  kind  as  that  obferved  by  Hum- 
boldt  on  the  Pampas  of  Venezuela :  '  All  around  us,'  fays 
he,  '  the  plains  feemed  -to  afcend  towards  the  fky.' "  Thus 
we  obferve  that  the  appellation  given  by  the  ancient  North- 
men to  the  three  ftrands  or  tracts  of  coaft,  Naufet  Beach, 
Chatham  Beach,  and  Monomoy  Beach,  is  remarkably  appro- 
priate. 

The  great  Gulf  Stream,  as  it  is  called,  which  iffues 
from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  runs  between  Florida,  Cuba, 
and  the  Bahama  Ifles,  and  fo  northwards  in  a  direction 
parallel  to  the  eaftern  coaft  of  North  America,  and  of  which 
the  channel,  in  ancient  times,  is  faid  to  have  approached 
ftill  nearer  to  the  coaft,  occafions  great  currents  precifely  at 
this  place,  inafmuch  as  the  peninfula  of  Barnftaple  offers110 
oppofition  to  the  ftream,  as  it  comes  from  the  fouthward. 

The 

110  The  "great  currents  "of  the  Gulf    it"  by  the  peninsular  of  Cape  Cod,  or 
Stream,  and  the  " oppofition  offered  to    "Barnftaple,"   are   altogether  matters 

of 


1 1 6  Identity  of  the 

The  STRAUMFIORDR  of  the  ancient  Northmen  is  fuppofed 
to  be  Buzzard's  Bay ;  and  STRAUMEY,  Marthas  Vineyard ; 
although  the  accounts  of  the  many  eggs  found  there  would 
feem  more  precifely  to  correfpond  to  the  ifland  which  lies 
off  the  entrance  of  Vineyard  Sound,  and  which  to  this  day 
is  called  Egg  Ifland. 

KROSSANES  is  probably  Gurnet  Point.  It  must  have 
been  fomewhat  to  the  northward  of  this  that  Karlfefne 
landed,  when  he  faw  the  mountain  range  ( The  Blue  Hills], 
which  he  conlidered  as  forming  part  of  the  fame  range  that 
extends  to  the  region  where  we  recognize  the  place  named 
Hop  (i  Hope). 

The  word  ndp,  in  Icelandic,  may  either  denote  a  fmall 
recefs,  or  bay,  formed  by  a  river  from  the  interior  falling 
into  an  inlet  from  the  fea,  or  the  land  bordering  on  fuch  a 
bay.  To  this  Mount  Hope's  Bay,  or  MONT  HAUP'S  BAY,  as 

the 

of  fancy.     For  the  purpofe  of  obtaining  and  velocity  vary  with  the  force  and  direction  of 

accurate   information  on   the  subject,  long-continued  winds. 

we  addreffed  a  note  to  the  Superintend-  ^EDWARD  P.  LULL 

ent  of  the  Coaft  Survey,  and  received  Hydrographic  Inspector,  U.  S.  C.  S. 

the  following  reply:  —  Mr.  EDMUND  F.  SLAFTER. 

The  velocity  of  the  Gulf  Stream  in 

U.  S.  COAST  SURVEY  OFFICE,  Jhe  Strajts  <*  Florida,  lat.  25°  05',  we 
Washington,  Sept.  7,  1876.  know  to  be  only  one  and  feventh-tenths 
-.        c         ,,      ,  ..       ,    0  of  a  mile  per  hour.    Vide  Letter  of  Pro- 
DEAR  SIR,  —  Your  letter  of  28th  Auguft  to  /•  /r       r>-  <-       LTTO/^JIO 
the  Superintendent  of  the  Coaft  Survly,  re-  feffor  Peirce,  Supt.   U.   S.   Coaft  Sur- 
quefting  certain  information  regarding  the  Gulf  vev>    Journal  Am.    Geog.    and  Stat. 
Stream  off  Cape  Cod  in  lats.  41°  to  42°,  has,  Soc.,  Vol.  II.  p.  cix.     Its  velocity  can- 
in  his  abfence,  been  referred  to  this  office  for  not,  therefore,  be  much  over  one  mile 

re?rL  actual  obfervations  of  the  Coaft  Survey  Per  ^"F  °?  CaPe  £od  :  and,  if  its  weft- 
do  not  extend  further  north  than  lat.  40°  ;  but  ern  limit  1S  one  hundred  and  eighty 
in  the  Britifh  Admiralty  chart  the  velocity  of  miles  diftant,  it  is  vain  to  look  to  the 
the  Gulf  Stream  off  Cape  Cod  in  lats.  41°  and  Gulf  Stream  for  any  explanation  of 

42^  >  *££.  from-  T  to  f.w°  k"015  ?er  hour>  the  currents  in  the  region  of  Buzzard's 

and  its  dittance  (weftern  limit)  as  about  one  r>  --ri.  j      UA  ji 

hundred  and  eighty  miles,  it  following  generally  ^ay.     There  are  undoubtedly  currents 

the  one  hundred  fm.  curve.    I  believe  that  all  there,  but  they  clearly  anfe  from  other 

authorities  agree  in  the  fact  that  its  pofition  caufes. 


Places  Visited.  1 1 7 

the  Indians  term  it,  correfponds,  through  which  the  Taunton 
River  flows,  and,  by  means  of  the  very  narrow  yet  navi- 
gable Pocaffet  River,  meets  the  approaching  water  of  the 
ocean  at  its  exit  at  Seaconnet.  It  was  at  this  Hdpe  that 
Leifsbooths  were  fituate  ;  it  was  above  it,  and  therefore  moft 
probably  on  the  beautiful  elevation  called  afterwards  by  the 
Indians  MONT  HAUP,  that  Thorfinn  Karlfefne  erected  his 
dwelling-houfes. 

CLIMATE    AND    SOIL. 

Concerning  the  climate  of  the  country  and  the  quality 
of  the  foil,  and  alfo  concerning  fome  of  its  productions,  the 
ancient  writings  contain  fundry  illuftrative  remarks.  The 
climate  was  fo  mild  that  it  appeared  the  cattle  did  not  re- 
quire winter  fodder ;  for  there  came  no  fnow,  and  the  grafs 
was  but  flightly  withered.  Warden  ufes  fimilar  expreffions 
refpecting  this  region :  "  La  temperature  eft  fi  douce  que 
la  vegetation  fouffre  rarement  du  froid  ou  de  la  fecherejfe. 
On  1'appelle  le  paradis  de  rAnurique,  parce  qu'elle  1'em- 
porte  fur  les  autres  lieux  par  fa  fituation,  fon  fol  et  fon 
climat."  "  An  excurfion  from  Taunton  to  Newport,  R.I., 
down  Taunton  River  and  Mount  Hope  Bay,  conducts  the 
traveller  among  fcenery  of  great  beauty  and  lovelinefs,"  fays 
Hitchcock  ;  and  when  he  adds,  "  that  the  beautiful  appear- 
ance of  the  country,  and  the  interefting  hiftorical  affocia- 
tions  connected  with  that  region,  confpire  to  keep  the 
attention  alive,  and  to  gratify  the  tafte,"  he  will  find  that 
this  laft  remark  is  applicable  to  times  much  more  remote 
than  he  thought  of,  when  he  gave  expreffion  to  the  above 
fentiment. 

A 


1 1 8  Identity  of  the 

A  country  of  fuch  a  nature  might  well  deferve  the  appel- 
lation of  "  THE  GOOD,"  which  was  the  epithet  the  ancient 
Northmen  beflowed  on  it ;  efpecially  as  it  yielded  produc- 
tions whereon  they  fet  a  high  value,  and  of  which  their 
colder  native  land  was  for  the  moft  part  deftitute. 


PRODUCE    AND    NATURAL    HISTORY. 

Vines  grew  there  fpontaneoufly ;  a  circumftance  which 
Adam  of  Bremen,  a  foreign  writer  of  the  fame  (that  is 
of  the  eleventh)  century,  mentions  that  he  had  learned, 
not  from  conjecture,  but  from  authentic  accounts  furnimed 
by  Danes.  As  his  authority  on  this  occafion,  he  cites 
the  Danim  king,  Sveyn  Eftrithfon,  a  nephew  of  Canute  the 
Great.  It  is  well  known  that  vines  ftill  grow  in  that  region 
in  great  abundance. 

Spontaneoufly  growing  wheat  (Jjdlfsdnir  hveitiakrar). 

At  the  fubfequent  arrival  of  the  Europeans,  Maize,  or 
Indian  corn,  as  it  is  called,  was  found  growing  here ;  this  the 
natives  reaped  without  having  fowed,111  and  they  preferved 
it  in  holes  in  the  earth,  as  it  conftituted  one  of  their  moft 
valuable  articles  of  food.  Honeydew112  was  found  on  the 
ifland  which  lies  off  it,  as  is  alfo  ftill  the  cafe. 

Mazer  (maufur\  a  fpecies  of  wood  of  remarkable  beauty, 
probably  a  fpecies  of  the  Acer  rubrum,  or  Acer  faccha- 

rinum, 

111  The  maize  of  the  Indians  did  not  formed  by  the  leaves  of  plants  in  hot 
grow  fpontaneoujly,  but  the  feed  was  weather.     It  appears  to  be  fecreted  by 
carefully  preferved  and  planted  by  them  Aphides,  and  is  fometimes  fo  abundant 
annually.  as  to  fall  from  the  leaves  in  drops.  — 

112  Honey-dew  is  a  fugary,  clammy  Brande. 
fecretion,  formerly  regarded  as  being 


Places  Visited.  1 1 9 

rinum,  which  grows  here,  and  which  is  called  "bird's  eye" 
or  "curled  maple."  Wood  for  building  was  alfo  obtained 
here. 

A  great  number  of  foreft  animals  of  all  kinds.  It  is 
underftood  that  the  Indians  chofe  this  region  in  preference, 
for  their  abode,  chiefly  on  account  of  the  excellent  hunting. 

At  prefent  the  forefts  are  for  the  mofl  part  cut  down, 
and  the  animals  have  withdrawn  to  the  interior  and  wood- 
land regions.  From  the  natives  the  Northmen  bought 
fquirrel  fkins,  and  all  kinds  of  peltries,  which  are  ftill  to  be 
found  in  abundance  in  this  diftricl:. 

Eider-ducks,  and  other  birds,  were  found  in  great  num- 
bers on  the  adjacent  iflands,  as  is  alfo  at  prefent  the  cafe, 
on  which  account  fome  of  them  have  the  name  of  Egg- 
Iflands.113 

Every  river  was  full  of  fiJJi,  among  which  are  mentioned 
excellent  falmon.  On  the  coaft  was  alfo  caught  a  great 
quantity  of  fifh.  The  Northmen  dug  ditches  along  the 
more,  within  the  high  water-mark,  and  when  the  tide  re- 
ceded they  found  halibuts  in  the  ditches.  On  the  coaft 
they  alfo  caught  whales,  and  among  thefe  the  reidr  (Ba- 
l<zna  phyfalis}.  In  the  modern  defcriptions  of  this  region, 
it  is  ftated  "  that  all  the  rivers  are  full  of  fifh ; "  and  of  the 
waters  in  that  neighborhood  it  is  faid,  "  II  y  a  une  grande 
abondance  de  poiffons  de  prefque  toutes  les  efpeces."  Sal- 
mon may  be  mentioned  as  one  of  thefe.  Not  long  ago,  the 

whale-fifhery 

118  The   eider-duck  is  at  this  time  incubation    takes   place ;   and,    confe- 

found  in  great  numbers  in  the  region  quently,  the  eggs  here  referred  to  muft 

of  Cape  Cod  in  the  cold  feafon ;  but  have  been  the  product  of  other  fpe- 

its  home  is  farther  to  the  north,  where  cies. 


1 20  Identity  of  the 

whale-fifhery  was,  in  that  very  region,  an  important  branch 
of  induflry;  efpecially  for  the  inhabitants  of  the  adjacent 
iflands.114  Very  poffibly  the  adjacent  Whale  Rock  has  its 
name  from  the  fame  circumflances. 

ASTRONOMICAL   EVIDENCE. 

Befides  the  nautical  and  geographical  flatements,  one  of 
the  mofl  ancient  writings  has  preferved  an  ajlronomical 
notice,  where  it  is  faid  that  the  days  there  were  of  more 
equal  length  than  in  Iceland  or  Greenland ;  that,  on  the 
fhorteft  day,  the  fun  rofe  at  half  paft  feven  o'clock  and 
fet  at  half  paft  four ;  which  makes  the  fhorteft  day  nine 
hours.  This  aftronomical  obfervation  gives  for  the  place 
latitude  41°  24'  10".  "  The  latitude  of  Seaconnet  Point,  and 
of  the  fouthernmoft  promontory  of  the  Ifland  of  Conanni- 
cut,  is  41°  26'  north;  and  that  of  Point  Judith,  41°  23.' 
Thefe  three  headlands  form  the  entrance  boundaries  of  the 
modern  Mount  Hope  Bay,  which  the  ancients,  according  to 
the  analogy  of  their  language,  no  doubt,  called  HOPSVATN." 
We  thus  fee  that  this  ftatement  correfponds  exactly  with 
the  other  data,  and  indicates  precifely  the  fame  region. 

DISCOVERIES    OF   MORE    SOUTHERN    REGIONS. 

THE  party  fent  by  Thorwald  Erikfon  in  the  year  1003, 

from 

114  In  early  times,  the  whale  was  The  whale  fifhery  at  Nantucket  corn- 
frequently  found  on  the  fhores  of  this  menced  about  1670,  and  continued  a 
country,  fometimes  in  large  fhoals,  and  fuccefsf  ul  occupation  not  far  fromninety 
was  hunted  partly  for  its  oil,  partly  years,  when  whales  became  fcarce,  and 
for  the  fake  of  food,  whale-meat  balana,  the  bufinefs  was  finally  difcontinued. 
or  baleine,  being  frequently  mentioned  In  1726,  eighty-fix  were  taken.  The 
in  ancient  accounts  as  an  article  of  pur-  greateft  number  brought  in  on  a  fingle 
chafe  and  fale.  — Brande.  day  was  eleven. 


Places  Visited.  121 

from  Leifsbooths,  to  explore  the  fouthern  coafts,  employed 
from  four  to  five  months  in  the  expedition ;  they  therefore 
moft  likely  examined  the  coafts  of  Connecticut  and  New 
York,  probably  alfo  thofe  of  New  Jerfey,  Delaware,  and 
Maryland.  The  defcription  of  this  range  of  coaft  is 
accurate. 


ARE  MARSON  S  SOJOURN  IN  GREAT  IRELAND. 

IN  thofe  times  the  Efquimaux  inhabited  more  foutherly 
regions  than  they  do  at  prefent.  This  is  both  evident 
from  the  ancient  accounts,  and  feems  befides  to  gain  cor- 
roboration  from  ancient  fkeletons  which  have  been  dug  up 
in  regions  even  more  foutherly  than  thofe  in  queftion; 
a  circumftance  which,  however,  merits  a  more  accurate 
examination.  In  the  neighborhood  of  Vineland,  oppofite 
the  country  inhabited  by  the  Efquimaux,  there  dwelled, 
according  to  their  reports,  people  who  wore  white  dreffes, 
and  had  poles  borne  before  them,  on  which  were  faftened 
lappets,  and  who  fhouted  with  a  loud  voice.  This  country 
was  fuppofed  to  be  HVITRAMANN  ALAND,  as  it  was  called  (the 
Land  of  the  White  Men),  otherwife  called  IRLAND  IT  MIKLA 
(Great  Ireland],  being  probably  that  part  of  the  coaft  of  North 
America  which  extends  fouthwards  from  Chefapeake  Bay, 
including  North  and  South  Carolina,  Georgia,  and  Florida. 
Among  the  Shawa-nefe  Indians,  who  fome  years  ago  emi- 
grated from  Florida,  and  are  now  fettled  in  Ohio,  there  is 
preferved  a  tradition  which  feems  of  importance  here ;  viz., 
that  Florida  was  once  inhabited  by  white  people,  who 

were 
16 


122  Identity  of  the 

were  in  poffeffion  of  iron  implements.115  Judging  from  the 
ancient  accounts,  this  muft  have  been  an  Irifli  Chriftian 
people,  who,  previous  to  the  year  1000,  were  fettled  in  this 
region.  The  powerful  chieftain,  ARE  MARSON,  of  Rey- 
kianes,  in  Iceland,  was,  in  the  year  903,  driven  thither  by 
ftorms,  and  there  received  baptifm.  The  firft  author  of 
this  account  was  his  contemporary,  Rafn,  furnamed  the 
Limerick-trader,  he  having  long  refided  at  Limerick,  in 
Ireland.  The  illuftrious  Icelandic  fage,  Are  Frode,  the 
firft  compiler  of  the  Landnama,  who  was  himfelf  a  de- 
fcendant  in  the  fourth  degree  from  Are  Marfon,  ftates  on 
this  fubject  that  his  uncle,  Thorkell  Gellerfon  (whofe 
teftimony  he  on  another  occafion  declares  to  be  worthy  of 
all  credit),  had  been  informed  by  Icelanders,  who  had  their 
information  from  Thorfinn  Sigurdfon,  Earl  of  Orkney, 
that  Are  had  been  recognized  in  Hvitramannaland,  and 
could  not  get  away  from  thence,  but  was  there  held  in 
high  refpecl.  This  ftatement  therefore  mows  that  in  thofe 
times  there  was  an  occafional  intercourfe  between  the 
weftern  European  countries  (the  Orkneys  and  Ireland) 
and  this  part  of  America. 

VOYAGES    OF    BIORN   ASBRANDSON   AND  GUDLEIF   GUDLAUGSON. 

IT  muft  have  been  in  this  fame  country  that  BIORN  AS- 
BRANDSON, furnamed  BREIDVIKINGAKAPPI,  fpent  the  latter 
part  of  his  life.  He  had  been  adopted  into  the  celebrated 

band 

u6  This  tradition  of  the  Indians  in  1512,  under  John  Ponce  de  Leon, 
may  have  been  derived  from  the  vifits  There  is  little  probability  that  it  origi- 
of  the  Spaniards  to  the  coafts  of  Florida  nated  at  an  earlier  date. 


Places  Visited.  123 

band  of  Jomfburg  warriors  under  Palnatoke,  and  took  part 
with  them  in  the  battle  of  Fyrifval  in  Sweden.  His  illicit 
amatory  connection  with  Thurida  of  Frodo  in  Iceland,  a  fif- 
ter  of  the  powerful  Snorre  Code,  drew  upon  him  the  enmity 
and  perfecution  of  the  latter ;  in  confequence  of  which,  he 
found  himfelf  obliged  to  quit  the  country  for  ever;  and,  in 
the  year  999,  he  fet  fail  from  Hraunhofn,  in  Sniofelfnes, 
with  a  north-eaft  wind.  GUDLEIF  GUDLAUGSON,  brother  of 
Thorfinn,  the  anceftor  of  the  celebrated  hiftorian,  Snorre 
Sturlufon,  had  made  a  trading  voyage  to  Dublin ;  but  when 
he  left  that  place  again,  with  the  intention  of  failing  round 
Ireland  and  returning  to  Iceland,  he  met  with  long  con- 
tinuing north-eafterly  winds,  which  drove  him  far  to  the 
fouth-weft  in  the  ocean,  and  at  an  advanced  period  of 
the  fummer  he  and  his  company  arrived  at  laft  at  an  exten- 
five  country,  but  they  knew  not  what  country  it  was.  On 
their  landing,  a  crowd  of  the  natives,  feveral  hundreds  in 
number,  came  againft  them,  and  laid  hands  on  them,  and 
bound  them.  They  did  not  know  anybody  in  the  crowd, 
but  it  feemed  to  them  that  their  language  refembled  Irifh. 
The  natives  now  took  counfel  whether  they  mould  kill  the 
flrangers,  or  make  flaves  of  them.  While  they  were  delib- 
erating, a  large  company  approached,  difplaying  a  banner, 
clofe  to  which  rode  a  man  of  diftinguimed  appearance, 
who  was  far  advanced  in  years,  and  had  gray  hair.  The 
matter  under  deliberation  was  referred  to  his  decifion.  He 
was  the  aforefaid  Biorn  Afbrandfon.  He  caufed  Gudleif 
to  be  brought  before  him,  and,  addreffing  him  in  the  Norfe 
language,  he  afked  him  whence  he  came.  On  his  replying 
that  he  was  an  Icelander,  Biorn  made  many  inquiries  about 

his 


124  Identity  of  the 

his  acquaintance  in  Iceland,  particularly  about  his  beloved 
Thurida,  of  Frodo,  and  about  her  fon  Kiartan,  fuppofed  to 
be  his  own  fon,  and  who  at  that  time  was  the  proprietor  of 
the  eftate  of  Frodo.  In  the  mean  time,  the  natives  becom- 
ing impatient  and  demanding  a  decifion,  Biorn  felected 
twelve  of  his  company  as  counfellors,  and  took  them  afide 
with  him,  and  fome  time  afterward  he  went  towards  Gud- 
leif  and  his  companions,  and  told  them  that  the  natives  had 
left  the  matter  to  his  decifion.  He  thereupon  gave  them 
their  liberty,  and  advifed  them,  although  the  fummer  was 
already  far  advanced,  to  depart  immediately,  becaufe  the 
natives  were  not  to  be  depended  on,  and  were  difficult  to 
deal  with;  and,  moreover,  conceived  that  an  infringement 
on  their  laws  had  been  committed  to  their  difadvantage. 
He  gave  them  a  gold  ring  for  Thurida,  and  a  fvvord  for 
Kiartan,  and  told  them  to  charge  his  friends  and  relations 
not  to  come  over  to  him,  as  he  was  now  become  old,  and 
might  daily  expe6l  that  old  age  would  get  the  better  of 
him ;  that  the  country  was  large,  having  but  few  harbors, 
and  that  ftrangers  muft  everywhere  expec"l  a  hoftile  recep- 
tion. They  accordingly  fet  fail  again,  and  found  their  way 
back  to  Dublin,  where  they  fpent  the  winter ;  but  the 
next  fummer  they  repaired  to  Iceland  and  delivered  the 
prefents,  and  all  were  convinced  that  it  was  really  Biorn 
Afbrandfon  whom  they  had  met  with  in  that  country. 

It  may  be  confidered  as  certain  that  intercourfe  between 
Vineland  and  Greenland  was  maintained  for  a  confiderable 
period  after  this,  although  the  fcanty  notices  about  Green- 
land contained  in  the  ancient  MSS.  do  not  furnifh  us  with 
any  fatisfaclory  information  on  this  head.  .  .  . 

After 


Places  Visited.  125 

After  having  perufed  the  authentic  documents  them- 
felves,  which  are  now  acceffible  to  all,  every  one  will  ac- 
knowledge the  truth  of  the  hiftorical  fact,  that  during  the 
tenth  and  eleventh  centuries  the  ancient  Northmen  dif- 
covered  and  vifited  a  great  extent  of  the  eaftern  coafts  of 
North  America ;  and  will  befides  be  led  to  the  conviction 
that,  during  the  centuries  immediately  following,  the  inter- 
courfe  never  was  entirely  difcontinued.  The  main  fact: 
is  certain  and  indifputable.  On  the  other  hand,  there  are 
in  thefe,  as  in  all  other  ancient  writings,  certain  portions 
of  the  narrative  which  are  obfcure,  and  which  fubfequent 
difquifitions  and  new  interpretations  may  ferve  to  clear  up. 
On  this  account  it  feems  of  importance  that  the  original 
fources  of  information  mould  be  publifhed  in  the  ancient 
language,116  fo  that  every  one  may  have  it  in  his  power  to 
confult  them,  and  to  form  his  own  judgment  as  to  the 
accuracy  of  the  interpretations  given. 

116  The   old    Icelandic    tongue,   in  under  great  obligations  by  printing  the 

which  the  fagas  were  written,  is  now  Sagas  relating  to  America  in  the  origi- 

fpoken  only  by  a  fmall  population  in  nal  language,  fide  by  fide  with  a  Danifh 

Iceland.     Vide  the  Earl  of  Ellefmere's  and   Latin  verfion,    in    "  Antiquitates 

Introduction  to  "Guide  to   Northern  Americans,"  where  they  will  ever  here- 

Archaeology."       The     late     Profeffor  after  be  acceffible  for  ftudy  and  com- 

Rafn  has  placed  the  ftudents  of  hiilory  parifon. 


NAMES  GIVEN  TO  THE  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OF 
THE  DAY  BY  THE  ANCIENT  NORTHMEN. 


Hirdis  rismdl 4^  A.M. 

Midr  morgun 6          „ 

Dagmal  , 

Dagverdarmal 9 

Hddegi 

Haestr  dagr 12          „ 

Undarn i*/2   P.M. 

Eykt  dags 3 

Eyktarstadr 4^      „ 

Midraptan 6          „ 

Nattmdl 

Nattverdarmal 9 

Hattatimi 

Mid  n6tt 12          „ 

Otta iy2  A.M. 

Midotta 3          „ 

Compare  the  above  with  the  dial.     See  also  antea,  p.  34. 


O  o> 


COMPLETE  DIAL 


OP 


THE    ANCIENT    NORTHMEN, 


ACCORDING   TO   THE 


PROJECTION  AND  EXPOSITION 


OF 


PROFESSOR  FINN  MAGNUSEN, 


VICB   PKKBIDBNT  OP  THE  ROYAL  SOCIETY  OP  NORTHERN  ANTIQUARIES. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL. 


T  is  not  our  intention  to  give  under  this  head 
a  full  bibliography  on  the  fubjecl  of  this  vol- 
ume. The  following  works,  relating  directly 
or  indirectly  to  the  manners,  cuftoms,  hiftory, 
literature  and  language  of  the  Scandinavians, 
and  to  their  voyages  to  the  coafl  of  America,  will  be  ufeful 
to  the  reader  who  defires  to  give  the  fubjecl;  a  careful  and 
extended  examination :  — 

Antiqvitates  American®,  five  Scriptores  Septentrionales  Rerum  ante- 
Columbianarum  in  America.  Edidit  Societas  Regia  Antiqvariorum 
Septentrionalium.  Hafnias,  1837. 

This  imperial  quarto  contains  all  the  evidence,  known  to 
hiftorical  fcholars,  touching  the  vifits  of  the  Northmen  to  the 
fliores  of  America.  The  hiftorical  narratives,  rehearfmg  the 
ftory  of  the  voyagers,  are  here  given  in  the  ancient  Icelandic 
language.  For  the  firft  time,  thefe  old  Scandinavian  man- 
ufcripts  of  the  fourteenth  century  appear  in  print.  They 
are  accompanied  by  a  tranflation  into  the  Latin,  and  like- 
wife  into  the  Danifh  language.  We  have  fufficiently 

indicated 


1 2  8  Bibliographical. 

indicated  the  character  of  this  work  in  the  Introduction, 
antea  pp.  10-12,  to  which  the  reader  is  referred. 


M.  Adami  Gefta  Hammenburgenfis  Ecclefiae  Pontificum.   Edente  M.  Lap- 
penberg  I.  U.  D.  Reipublicae  Hamburgenfis  Tabulario. 


of  Bremen  wrote  as  early  as  the  year  1075.  In 
the  work  above-named  occurs  a  paffage,  which  plainly  mows 
that  the  voyages  to  Vineland  were  matters  well  underftood 
in  his  time  among  the  Danes.  This  paffage  was  written 
long  before  the  fagas  were  reduced  to  writing.  His  ftate- 
ment  indicates  that  what  was  known  at  that  time  in  regard 
to  the  voyages  to  Vineland  was  ftill  in  oral  tradition,  and 
is  flrongly  corroborative  of  the  narratives  of  the  fagamen 
as  found  in  the  Icelandic  manufcriptsy'  Adam  of  Bremen's 
hiftory  is  included  in  "  Monumenta  Germaniae  Hiftorica," 
edited  by  George  Henry  Pertz.  Tom.  vii.  Hannoverae, 
1  846.  The  paffage  referred  to  is  as  follows  :  — 

"  Praeterea  unam  adhuc  infulam  recitavit  a  multis  in  eo 
repertam  occeano,  quae  dicitur  Winland,  eo  quod  ibi  vites 
fponte  nafcantur,  vinum  optimum  ferentes.  Nam  et  fruges 
ibi  non  feminatas  habundare,  non  fabulofa  opinione,  fed 
certa  comperimus  relatione  Danorum." 

It  may  be  obferved  that  Adam  of  Bremen  reports  what 
he  had  received  from  Sveyn  Eftrithfon,  king  of  Denmark. 
We  give  the  following  tranflation  :  — 

"  Moreover,  he  (the  king)  ftated  that  an  ifland  had  been 
found  by  many  in  that  ocean,  which  is  called  Winland, 
becaufe  vines  grow  there  fpontaneoufly,  producing  excellent 
wine.  For  that  fruits  abound  there,  not  having  been  fown, 

we 


Bibliographical.  129 

we  are  affured  not  by  any  vague  rumor,  but  by  the  truft- 
worthy  report  brought  back  by  the  Danes." 

The  Heimfkringla,  or  Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Norway.  Tranflated  from 
the  Icelandic  of  Snorro  Sturlefon,  with  a  Preliminary  DhTertation. 
By  Samuel  Laing,  Efq.  London,  1844. 

The  author  of  the  Heimfkringla,  Snorro  Sturlefon,  was 
born  in  the  year  1 178,  and  died  in  1241,  and  his  work  was 
confequently  written  not  later  than  the  early  part  of  the 
thirteenth  century.  He  alludes  to  the  difcovery  of  Vine- 
land,  and  is  the  next  early  writer  after  Adam  of  Bremen, 
who  corroborates  the  teftimony  of  the  fagas  touching  the 
Icelandic  voyages  to  America.  His  reference  to  Vineland 
is  contained  in  the  body  of  this  work.  Antea,  page  44. 

Mr.  Laing's  differtation  is  a  thorough  difcuffion  of 
the  whole  fubjecl  of  Northern  literature  and  hiftory,  and 
is  rendered  not  the  lefs  interefting  by  the  frank  and  bold 
manner  in  which  the  author  expreffes  his  opinions  on  fome 
important  queftions.  It  contains  a  valuable  memoir  of 
Snorro  Sturlefon.  The  Englifh  reader  of  this  tranflation 
can  hardly  fail  to  gain  a  better  knowledge,  in  many  refpecls, 
of  the  character  and  mode  of  life  of  the  Northmen  than  in 
the  more  direct  treatment  of  the  fubjecl  by  the  hiftorical 
writer. 

Hifloria  Vinlandiae  Antiquse,  feu  Partis  Americas  Septentrionalis,  ubi  Nom- 
inis  ratio  recenfetur,  Situs  terra?  ex  dierumbrumalium  fpatio  expenditur, 
foli  fertilitatas  et  incolarum  barbaries,  peregrinorum  temporarius  inco- 
latus  et  gefta,  Vicinarum  terrarum  nomina  et  facies  ex  Antiqvitatibus 
Iflandicis  in  lucem  producla  exponuntur.  Per  Thormodum  Torfaeum. 
Rerum  Norvegicarum  Hiftorigraphum  Regium.  Havniae :  et  Typo- 
grapheo  Regiae  Majeft.  et  Univerfit.  1705. 

'7  Of 


130  Bibliographical. 

Of  this  very  rare  work,  there  are  copies  bearing  the 
imprint  of  a  later  date.  On  examination,  we  find  the  iffue 
of  1715  to  be  the  fame  letter-prefs  as  that  of  1705,  with 
the  exception  of  two  pages ;  viz.,  the  title-page  and  the 
reverfe  page  containing  an  "  approbatio "  by  "  P.  Vin- 
dingius."  The  cancellation  of  title-pages  and  the  fubfti- 
tution  of  new  ones  were  common  devices  of  publifhers  of 
that  period,  to  give  a  frefli  impulfe  to  the  fale  of  books 
that  hung  heavily  upon  their  hands.  We  prefume  this  to 
be  an  example  of  the  fame  kind  of  enterprife.  This  little 
work  is  the  earlieft  printed  volume  relating  to  the  voyages 
of  the  Northmen  to  America.  As  the  reader  paffes  along 
over  its  pages,  he  will  be  furprifed  to  find  how  carefully  this 
learned  writer  had  ftudied  the  old  Scandinavian  manufcripts 
relating  to  thefe  weftern  voyages,  and  how  fully  he  has 
incorporated  into  his  narrative  the  facls  now  known  relating 
to  them.  Had  Torfasus  given  us  a  full  tranflation  of  the 
fagas  even  into  Latin,  and  rendered  the  complete  narrative 
of  the  originals  acceffible  to  fcholars,  little  would  have 
remained  to  be  done  afterward.  It  is  prefumed  that  the 
hiftorians,  who  alluded  to  this  fubjecl  anterior  to  the  pub- 
lication of  the  "  Antiquitates  Americans  "  in  1837,  derived 
their  information  from  this  little  compendium.  Not  having 
the  text  of  the  fagas  before  them,  they  generally  difmiffed 
the  fubjecl:  with  a  brief  and  not  very  explicit  allufion, 
hefitating,  perhaps,  as  to  what  degree  of  confidence  they 
could  fafely  repofe  in  this  then  folitary  authority. 

Hiftory  of  the  Voyages  and  Difcoveries  made  in  the  North.     Tranflated 
from  the  German  of  John  Reinhold  Forfter.     Dublin,  1786. 

The 


Bibliographical.  1  3  1 

The  author  traces  with  much  detail  the  colonization  of 
both  Iceland  and  Greenland,  obtaining  his  data  from  the 
two  works  of  Thormond  Torfaeus,  "  Veteris  Groenlandise 
Defcriptio  "  and  "  Hiftoria  Vinlandiae  Antique."  He  refers 
to  the  teftimony  of  Adam  of  Bremen.  He  fuppofes  Vine- 
land  to  be  in  latitude  49°,  and  therefore  in  Newfoundland 
or  in  Labrador.  This  arofe  from  a  very  different  fyftem  of 
interpreting  the  method  of  calculating  time  among  the  Scan- 
dinavians from  that  adopted  by  later  writers  ;  or,  as  fome 
fuppofe,  from  an  error  of  interpretation. 

Hiftory  of  the  Northmen  or  Danes  and  Normans  from  the  Earlieft  Times 
to  the  Conqueft  of  England  by  William  of  Normandy.  By  Henry 
Wheaton.  London,  1831. 


fecond  chapter  in  this  work  contains  a  fuccincl 
narrative  of  the  voyages  of  the  Northmen  to  America: 
befides  this,  the  ftudent  of  the  fagas  will  find  in  it  an  able 
and  interefting  expofition  of  the  Icelandic  literature  and 
language.  * 

Report  addreffed  by  the  Royal  Society  of  Northern  Antiquaries  to  its 
Britifh  and  American  Members.     Copenhagen,  1836. 

This  volume  in  Englifh  is  full  of  important  information 
on  the  fubjecl  of  which  it  treats.  It  deals  with  early 
Icelandic  and  Norwegian  accounts  of  Ireland,  the  stone 
implements  of  the  pagan  Northmen,  their  gold  and  bronze 
antiquities,  and  the  Anglo-Saxon  Runes. 

The  Difcovery  of  America  by  the  Northmen.     North  American  Review, 
1838,  pp.  161-203.     By  Edward  Everett. 

This  is  a  very  able  and  interefting  difcuflion  of  the  whole 

fubjecl 


132  Bibliographical. 

fubject  as  made  known  by  Profeffor  Rafn's  Report.  If  the 
diftinguifhed  writer  were  now  living,  and  were  to  reflate 
his  views,  it  is  hardly  probable  that  he  would  change  them 
in  any  important  particulars. 

Of  the  narratives  contained  in  the  fagas,  he  fays :  — 

"  Thefe  accounts  are  either  founded  on  truth,  or  they  are 
wholly  falfe ;  and  thofe  who  hold  to  the  latter  opinion  will, 
we  think,  find  more  difficulty  in  carrying  out  their  hypothe- 
fis,  than  there  is  in  admitting  the  fubftantial  truth  of  the 
tradition." 

"  We  are  decidedly  of  opinion  that  the  ancient  Icelandic 
accounts,  to  which  we  have  called  the  attention  of  our 
readers,  have  a  foundation  in  hiftorical  truth,  and  that  the 
coaft  of  North  America,  and  very  poffibly  this  portion  of 
it,  was  vifited  by  the  Northmen." 

But  Mr.  Everett  did  not  find  fatisfactory  evidence  of  the 
Runic  character  of  the  writing  on  the  Dighton  rock.  His 
own  words  will  beft  convey  the  impreffion  which  was  made 
upon  his  mind  by  the  proofs  adduced  in  favor  of  their 
Scandinavian  origin :  — 

"  That  the  rock  contains  fome  rude  delineations  of  the 
figures  of  men  and  animals  is  apparent  on  the  firffc  infpec- 
tion.  The  import  of  the  other  delineations  and  characters 
is  more  open  to  doubt.  By  fome  perfons  the  characters  are 
regarded  as  Phoenician.  The  late  Mr.  Samuel  Harris,  of 
this  city,  a  very  learned  Oriental  ift,  thought  he  found  the 
Hebrew  word  melek  (king)  in  thofe  characters,  which  the 
editor  of  the  work  before  us  "  (Profeffor  Rafn)  "  regards  as 
numerals  fignifying  cxxxi.  Colonel  Vallancey  confiders 
them  to  be  Scythian,  and  MefTrs.  Rafn  and  Magnuffen 

think 


Bibliographical.  1 3  3 

think  them  indubitably  Runic.  In  this  great  diverfity  of 
judgment,  a  decifion  is  extremely  difficult.  The  prefent 
copies  are  too  unlike  each  other  to  command  entire  confi- 
dence; and  we  are  not  prepared  to  fay  whether,  in  the 
prefent  flate  of  the  rock,  better  can  be  taken."  He  adds : 
"  We  own  that  we  remain  wholly  unconvinced  in  reference 
to  its  interpretation  by  the  learned  and  ingenious  commen- 
taries of  our  friends  at  Copenhagen." 

The  writing  on  the  Dighton  rock  has  been  copied  at  nine 
different  dates.  By  Dr.  Danforth,  in  1680;  Dr.  Cotton 
Mather,  in  1712;  Dr.  Greenwood,  in  1730;  Mr.  Stephen 
Sewall,  in  1768;  Mr.  James  Winthrop,  in  1788;  Dr.  Baylies 
and  Mr.  Goodwin,  in  1790;  Mr.  Kendall,  in  1807  ;  Mr.  Job 
Gardner,  in  1812;  the  Rhode  Ifland  Hiftorical  Society,  in 
1830.  Copies  of  all  of  them  are  engraved,  and  appear  in  Pro- 
feffor  Rafn's  great  work,  the  "  Antiquitates  Americanae."  If 
the  reader  will  caft  his  eye  over  them,  he  will  obferve  that 
the  later  copies  are  more  diftincT;  than  the  earlier  ones,  efpe- 
cially  in  thofe  features  which  have  been  the  fubjec~t  of  con- 
troverfy.  This  can  only  be  accounted  for  on  the  fuppofition 
that  the  later  fketches  were  more  fkilfully  and  truthfully 
done,  or  elfe  that  the  primitive  cuttings  have  become  gradu- 
ally deepened  by  atmofpheric  and  tidal  influences,  or  poffibly 
fome  ingenious  idler  may  have  undertaken,  impelled  by  a 
generous  impulfe,  to  improve  what  he  conceived  the  Scan- 
dinavian fculptor  left  in  an  unfinished  flate. 

The  Northmen  in  New  England,  or  America  in  the  Tenth  Century.     By 
Jofhua  Tolman  Smith.     Boston,  1839. 

The  author  difcuffes  the  whole  fubjecl  after  a  very  care- 
ful 


134  Bibliographical. 

ful  fludy  of  the  "  Antiquitates  Americanse."  He  is  a  flrenu- 
ous  and  enthufiaftic  believer  in  the  Scandinavian  origin  of  the 
infcriptions  on  the  Dighton  rock,  a  theory  which  has  now 
pretty  much  faded  out.  The  work  is  written  in  the  form 
of  a  dialogue,  which  gives  it  a  popular  call,  but  is  not  a 
very  fatisfactory  mode  of  prefenting  hiftorical  truth,  efpe- 
cially  if  queftions  of  doubt  enter  into  it.  Objections  to  a 
theory  can  hardly  be  ftated  and  anfwered  fairly  by  a  devotee 
of  the  theory  objected  to. 

In  the  main,  the  work  is  a  faithful  and  truftworthy  report 
of  the  facts  contained  in  the  "  Antiquitates  Americanae." 

The  Difcovery  of  America  by  the  Northmen  in  the  Tenth  Century,  with 
Notices  of  the  Early  Settlements  of  the  Irifh  in  the  Weftern  Hemif- 
phere.  By  North  Ludlow  Beamifh,  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society,  &c., 
&c.  London,  1841. 

The  reader  will  hardly  find  a  better  account,  in  the  fame 
fpace,  of  Icelandic  hiftorical  literature,  than  is  contained  in 
the  introduction  to  this  work.  The  author  has  alfo  given 
a  tranflation  of  all  the  extracts  from  the  fagas  which  defcribe 
the  voyages  of  the  Northmen  to  America.  In  the  fecond 
part,  he  deals  with  monuments  and  infcriptions,  which  in 
his  judgment  corroborate  the  difcoveries  of  the  Northmen. 
He  accepts  the  theory  of  the  Northern  antiquaries  as  to 
the  Scandinavian  origin  of  the  writing  upon  the  Dighton 
rock,  now  generally  difallowed.  He  gives  an  interefting 
account  of  the  monuments  in  Greenland,  which  undoubtedly 
have  a  Scandinavian  origin. 

Sele<5t  Letters  of  Chriftopher  Columbus,  with  other  Original  Documents 
relating  to  his  Four  Voyages  to  the  New  World.  Tranflated  and 

edited 


Bibliographical.  135 

edited  by  R.  H.  Major,  Efq.,  of  the  Britifh  Mufeum.   London.    Printed 
for  the  Hakluyt  Society.     1847. 

In  the  introduction,  the  editor  gives  the  narrative  of  the 
difcovery  of  America  by  the  Icelanders,  as  contained  in  the 
fagas,  with  much  particularity  and  fulnefs,  with  interefting 
and  valuable  critical  obfervations. 

Guide  to  Northern  Archaeology.  By  the  Royal  Society  of  Northern  Anti- 
quaries of  Copenhagen.  Edited  for  the  ufe  of  Englifh  readers.  By 
the  Right  Honorable  the  Earl  of  Ellefmere.  London,  1848. 

Befides  a  valuable  introduction  by  the  author,  the  vol- 
ume contains  an  interefting  treatife  on  the  extent  and 
importance  of  Northern  literature,  the  monuments  and 
antiquities  of  the  North,  and  a  r'efume  of  the  undertakings 
of  the  Society  with  fome  account  of  its  Cabinet  and  Library. 

Northern  Antiquities  ;  or,  An  Hiflorical  Account  of  the  Manners,  Cuftoms, 
Religion,  and  Laws,  Maritime  Expeditions  and  Difcoveries,  Language 
and  Literature  of  the  Ancient  Scandinavians.  Tranflated  from  the 
French  of  Paul  Henri  Mallet  by  Bifliop  Percy.  London,  1847. 

This  is  not  only  an  excellent  treatife  on  this  very  wide 
fubject,  but  it  likewife  contains  a  brief  but  comprehenfive 
narrative  of  the  difcovery  of  America  by  the  Northmen. 

Cofmos :  A  Sketch  of  a  Phyfical  Defcription  of  the  Univerfe.  By  Alex- 
ander Von  Humboldt.  Tranflated  from  the  German  by  E.  C.  Otte'. 
London,  1849. 

In  treating  of  the  difcovery  of  America,  the  author  refers 
to  the  voyages  of  the  Northmen  to  this  continent  as  a  matter 
of  fettled  hiftory.  He  does  not  even  offer  an  apology,  or 
fuggeft  a  doubt.  The  reader  will  find  his  views  fully  ftated 
in  Vol.  II.  pp.  602-608.  The  vafl  learning,  juft  difcrimi- 

nation 


1 3  6  Bibliographical. 

nation  and  found  fenfe  of  this  diftinguifhed  fcholar,  give 
great  weight  to  his  opinions  on  any  fubjecl. 

Hiftory  of  Scandinavia  from  the  Early  Times  of  the  Northmen,  the  Sea- 
kings  and  Vikings,  to  the  Prefent  Day.  By  Profeffor  Paul  C.  Sinding. 
London,  1866. 

Twelve  pages,  from  74  to  86,  relate  to  the  voyages  to 
America. 

The  Hiftory  of  Greenland.  By  David  Crantz.  London,  1820.  Vol.  I. 
pp.  233-237. 

The  narrative  of  the  difcovery  of  America  is  evidently 
taken  from  Torfaeus.  It  is  full  and  generally  correct.  There 
is  much  in  this  work  which  will  caft  light  upon  the  Northern 
mode  of  life. 

The  Private  Life  of  the  Old  Northmen.  By  Profeffor  Keyfer  of  the  Royal 
Univerfity  in  Chriftiana,  Norway.  Tranflated  by  the  Rev.  M.  R. 
Barnard,  B.A.  London,  1868. 

This  little  volume  gives  a  detailed  account  of  the  man- 
ners and  cuftoms  of  the  Northmen  at  the  period  when  their 
voyagers  were  vifiting  the  coafts  of  America.  It  will  be 
found  ufeful  in  illuftrating  more  or  lefs  the  text  of  the 
fagas. 

The  Pre-Columbian  Difcovery  of  America  by  the  Northmen.  Illuftrated 
by  tranflations  from  the  Icelandic  Sagas.  Edited,  with  notes  and  a 
General  Introduction,  by  B.  F.  De  Costa.  Albany,  1868. 

This  valuable  treatife  will  be  read  with  intereft  by  thofe 
who  accept  the  narratives  of  the  fagamen,  not  only  in  their 
general  fcope,  but  likewife  in  their  details.  It  is  a  fpecial 
aim  of  the  author  to  point  out  and  identify  the  places 

defcribed 


Bibliographical.  1 3  7 

defcribed  in  the  fagas.  With  this  view,  he  traces  the 
courfe  of  the  Northmen  along  the  fliores  of  Cape  Cod, 
identifying  the  places  vifited  by  them  with  great  ingenuity, 
if  not  with  entire  fatisfaction  to  his  lefs  credulous  readers. 
The  General  Introduction  contains  much  valuable  informa- 
tion. 

America  not  Difcovered  by  Columbus.  A  Hiftorical  Sketch  of  the  Dif- 
covery  of  America  by  the  Northmen  in  the  Tenth  Century.  By  R.  B. 
Anderson,  A.M.,  of  the  Univerfity  of  Wifconfm.  Chicago,  1874. 

'  This  is  a  compilation  rather  than  an  original  work.  Of 
the  old  mill  at  Newport,  the  author  fays  it  was  undoubtedly 
built  by  the  Norfemen.  Of  the  infcriptions  upon  the  rock 
in  Taunton  River,  he  adds :  "  Upon  the  whole,  the  Dighton 
Writing  Rock  removes  all  doubt  concerning  the  prefence 
of  Thorfinn  Karlfefne  and  the  Norfemen  at  Taunton  River, 
in  the  beginning  of  the  eleventh  century."  Even  the 
"fkeleton  in  armor,"  found  at  Fall  River  in  1831,  capti- 
vates the  too  credulous  author.  .- 

The  Early  Kings  of  Norway.     By  Thomas  Carlyle.     New  York,  1875. 

Something  may  be  learned  from  this  little  volume  of  the 
fpirit  of  Northern  life  and  fociety  in  the  tenth  and  eleventh 
centuries.  The  author  refers  briefly  to  the  difcovery  of 
America.  "  Towards  the  end,"  he  fays,  "  of  this  Hakon's 
reign  it  was  that  the  difcovery  of  America  took  place  (985). 
Aclual  difcovery,  it  appears,  by  Eric  the  Red,  an  Icelander ; 
concerning  which  there  has  been  abundant  inveftigation 
and  difcuffion  in  our  time."  Again  he  adds :  "  It  appears 
to  be  certain  that  from  the  end  of  the  tenth  century  to  the 
early  part  of  the  fourteenth  there  was  a  dim  knowledge  of 

thole 

18 


1 3  8  Bibliographical. 

thofe  diftant  mores  extant  in  the  Norfe  mind,  and  even 
fome  ftraggling  feries  of  vifits  thither  by  roving  Norfemen  ; 
though  as  only  danger,  difficulty,  and  no  profit  refulted,  the 
vifits  ceafed,  and  the  whole  matter  fank  into  oblivion,  and, 
but  for  the  Icelandic  talent  of  writing  in  the  long  winter 
nights,  would  never  have  been  heard  of  by  pofterity  at  all." 

The  following  works  will  illuftrate  the  character  of 
Scandinavian  life  and  literature,  and  may  incidentally  and 
remotely  throw  light  upon  the  text  of  the  fagas. 

A  Manual  of  Scandinavian  Mythology,  containing  a  Popular  Account  of 

the  Two  Eddas,  and  of  the  Religion  of  Odin.     By  Grenville  Pigott. 

London,  1839. 
The  Story  of  Burnt  Njal ;  or,  Life  in  Iceland  at  the  End  of  the  Tenth 

Century.     From  the  Icelandic  of  the  Njal's  Saga.     By  George  Webbe 

Dafent,  D.C.L.     Edinburgh,  1861. 

Viga  Glum's  Saga :  the  Story  of  Viga-Glum.     Tranflated  from  the  Ice- 
landic, with  notes  and  an  introduction,  by  the  Right  Honorable  Sir 

Edmund  Head,  Bart.  K.C.B.     London,  1866. 
Icelandic  Legends.     Collected  by  Jon  Arnafon.     Tranflated  by  George 

E.  J.  Powell  and  Eirfkur  Magniiffon.     London,  1864. 
Ballad  Stories  of  the  Affeclions.     From  the  Scandinavian.     By  Robert 

Buchanan.     London,  1869. 
The  Story  of  Gifli  the  Outlaw.     From  the  Icelandic  by  George  Webbe 

Dafent,  D.C.L.     Edinburgh,  1866. 
The  Story  of  Grettir  the  Strong.    Tranflated  from  the  Icelandic  by  Eirikr 

Magntiflbn  and  William  Morris.     London,  1869. 

As  the  geography,  climate,  and  capabilities  of  the  foil  of 
Iceland  have  probably  changed  very  little,  on  the  whole, 
fince  the  tenth  century,  the  defcriptions  of  modern  travellers 
will  Ihed  more  or  lefs  light  upon  the  text  of  the  fagas.  The 

following 


Bibliographical.  139 

following  will  be   found  interefting  and  valuable  in  that 
view :  — 

Iceland ;  or,  The  Journal  of  a  Reficlence  in  that  Ifland  in  1814  and  1815. 
By  Ebenezer  Henderfon.  Bofton,  1831. 

A  Vifit  to  Iceland.     By  John  Barrow.     London,  1835. 

A  Journey  to  Iceland.     By  Ida  Pfeiffer.     New  York,  1852. 

Nordurf  arri  •  or,  Rambles  in  Iceland.    By  Pliny  Miles.    New  York,  1854. 

Letters  from  High  Latitudes.     By  Lord  Dufferin.     London,  1857. 

The  Oxonian  in  Iceland.  By  the  Rev.  Frederick  Metcalfe.  London, 
1861. 

An  American  in  Iceland.  An  Account  of  its  Scenery,  People,  and  Hif- 
tory :  with  a  defcription  of  its  Millennial  Celebration  in  Auguft,  1874, 
with  notes  on  the  Orkney,  Shetland,  and  Faroe  Iflands,  and  the  Great 
Eruption  of  1875.  By  Samuel  Kneeland,  A.M.,  M.D.,  Secretary  and 
Profeffor  of  Zoology  and  Phyfiology  in  the  MafTachufetts  Inftitute  of 
Technology.  Bofton,  1876. 

The  foregoing  works  contain  fo  full  and  ample  a  delinea- 
tion of  thofe  features  of  Iceland  that  are  unchanging  and 
characleriftic,  that  the  ftudent  of  the  fagas  will  be  greatly 
aided  by  their  perufal.  The  laft-named  volume  is  the  lateft 
on  the  fubjecl  which  has  appeared.  Its  ftyle  is  clear,  fimple, 
and  graceful.  It  has  enough  of  learning  to  be  inftruclive 
without  being  obfcure  or  tedious.  Its  defcriptions  are 
vivid,  its  pictures  are  fharply  and  clearly  drawn  and  leave 
a  fixed  and  permanent  impreffion  upon  the  mind.  The 
views  expreffed  in  the  chapter  on  the  difcovery  of  America, 
touching  Icelandic  remains  in  this  country,  will  not  probably 
be  concurred  in  by  all  readers. 

We  might  add  many  other  works  to  the  number  already 
referred  to  as  relating  more  or  lefs  directly  to  the  fubje<5l 
of  this  volume.  The  "  Hiftory  of  New  England,"  by  Dr. 

Palfrey, 


140  Bibliographical. 

Palfrey,  contains  a  very  full  ftatement  and  recognition  of 
the  difcoveries  of  the  Northmen,  and  a  convincing  refuta- 
tion of  the  claim  for  the  Scandinavian  origin  of  the  writing 
on  the  Dighton  rock,  and  of  the  old  ftone  mill  at  Newport. 
Mr.  Bancroft,  in  the  earlier!  edition  of  his  "  Hiftory  of  the 
United  States,"  treats  the  alleged  Icelandic  voyages  to 
this  continent  as  a  myth,  and,  in  his  laft,  has  not  in  any 
degree  modified  his  fweeping  ftatements  of  diftruft.  We 
are  not  aware  that  any  other  diftinguifhed  hiftorian  has 
reached  the  fame  conclufion.  Dr.  J.  G.  Kohl,  in  his  "  Hif- 
tory of  the  Difcovery  of  Maine,"  traces  with  great  minute- 
nefs  the  courfe  of  the  Icelandic  voyagers  along  the  fliores 
of  New  England.  But  his  views  are  controverted,  efpecially 
with  reference  to  the  vifits  of  the  Northmen  to  the  coaffcs 
of  Maine,  by  the  Rev.  B.  F.  De  Cofta,  in  a  volume  entitled 
the  "  Northmen  in  Maine." 

The  narratives  of  the  fagas  are  in  their  outlines  clear 
and  diftincl:;  and  unprejudiced  hiftorians  and  antiquaries, 
who  have  no  theory  to  fuftain,  will  not,  in  our  apprehenfion, 
differ  as  to  their  general  interpretation.  But,  in  minor 
features  and  leffer  local  defcriptions,  they  are  exceedingly 
indefinite;  and  whoever  aims  to  fix  upon  the  exact  move- 
ments of  the  Northmen  on  our  coaft,  and  the  particular 
localities  which  they  occupied  when  here,  will  doubtlefs 
find  himfelf  confronted  by  the  champion  of  fome  other 
theory,  armed  poffibly  with  as  many  good  reafons  as  he  can 
render  for  his  own. 


THE    PRINCE    SOCIETY. 


OFFICERS 


OF 


THE    PRINCE   SOCIETY. 


Prefident. 
JOHN  WARD  DEAN,  A.M BOSTON,  MASS. 

Vice-Preftdents. 

JOHN  WINGATE  THORNTON,  A.M.      .    .    .  BOSTON,  MASS. 

THE  REV.  EDMUND  F.  SLAFTER,  A.M.     .    .  BOSTON,  MASS. 

WILLIAM  B.  TRASK,  ESQ BOSTON,  MASS. 

THE  HON.  CHARLES  H.  BELL,  A.M EXETER,  N.  H. 

Correfponding  Secretary. 
CHARLES  W.  TUTTLE,  A.M BOSTON,  MASS. 

Recording  Secretary. 
DAVID  GREENE  HASKINS,  JR.,  A.M.  .    .    .    CAMBRIDGE,  MASS. 

Treafurer. 
ELBRIDGE  H.  GOSS,  ESQ BOSTON,  MASS. 


THE    PRINCE    SOCIETY. 

1877. 


The  Hon.  Charles  Francis  Adams,  LL.D.     .     .  Bofton,  Mafs. 

Samuel  Agnew,  Efq Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Thomas  Coffin  Amory,  A.M Bofton,  Mafs. 

William  Sumner  Appleton,  A.M Bofton,  Mafs. 

Walter  T.  Avery,  Efq New  York,  N.Y. 

George  L.  Balcom,  Efq Claremont,  N.H. 

Jofeph  Ballard,  Efq Bofton,  Mafs. 

S.  L.  M.  Barlow,  Efq New  York,  N.Y. 

Nathaniel  J.  Bartlett,  A.B Bofton,  Mafs. 

The  Hon.  Charles  H.  Bell,  A.M Exeter,  N.H. 

John  J.  Bell,  A.M Exeter,  N.H. 

Samuel  L.  Boardman,  Efq Augufta,  Me. 

The  Hon.  James  Ware  Bradbury,  LL.D.       .     .  Augufta,  Me. 

J.  Carfon  Brevoort,  LL.D Brooklyn,  N.Y. 

Sidney  Brooks,  A.M Bofton,  Mafs. 

Mrs.  John  Carter  Brown Providence,  R.I. 

John  Marfhal  Brown,  A.M Portland,  Me. 

Jofeph  O.  Brown,  Efq New  York,  N.Y. 

Philip  Henry  Brown,  A.M Portland,  Me. 

Thomas  O.  H.  P.  Burnham,  Efq Bofton,  Mafs. 

George  Bement  Butler,  Efq New  York,  N.Y. 

George  Bigelow  Chafe,  A.M Bofton,  Mafs. 

The  Hon.  Mellen  Chamberlain,  A.M Chelfea,  Mafs. 

William  Eaton  Chandler,  A.M Concord,  N.H. 

Lucius  E.  Chittenden,  A.M New  York,  N.Y. 

Ethan  N.  Coburn,  Efq Charleftown,  Mafs. 


The  Prince  Society.  145 


Jeremiah  Colburn,  A.M.     . Boflon,  Mafs. 

Jofeph  J.  Cooke,  Efq Providence,  R.I. 

Deloraine  P.  Corey,  Efq Boflon,  Mafs. 

Eraftus  Corning,  Efq Albany,  N.Y. 

Ellery  Bicknell  Crane,  Efq Worcefter,  Mafs. 

Abram  E.  Cutter,  Efq Charleftown,  Mafs. 

The  Rev.  Edwin  A.  Dalrymple,  S.T.D.    .     .     .  Baltimore,  Md. 

William  M.  Darlington,  Efq Pittfburg,  Pa. 

Henry  B.  Dawfon,  Efq Morrifania,  N.Y. 

Charles  Deane,  LL.D Cambridge,  Mafs. 

John  Ward  Dean,  A.M Boflon,  Mafs. 

The  Rev.  Henry  Martyn  Dexter,  D.D.     .     .     .  Boflon,  Mafs. 

Samuel  Adams  Drake Melrofe,  Mafs. 

Harry  H.  Edes,  Efq Charleftown,  Mafs. 

Jonathan  Edwards,  A.B.,  M.D New  Haven,  Ct. 

Samuel  Eliot,  LL.D Boflon,  Mafs. 

The  Rev.  George  E.  Ellis,  D.D Boflon,  Mafs. 

Alfred  Langdon  Elwyn,  M.D Philadelphia,  Pa. 

James  Emott,  Efq New  York,  N.Y. 

The  Hon.  William  M.  Evarts,  LL.D New  York,  N.Y. 

Charles  S.  Fellows,  Efq Chicago,  111. 

John  S.  H.  Fogg,  M.D Bofton,  Mafs. 

The  Rev.  Henry  W.  Foote,  A.M Bofton,  Mafs. 

William  F.  Fowle,  Efq Bofton,  Mafs. 

Samuel  P.  Fowler,  Efq Danvers,  Mafs. 

The  Hon.  Richard  Frothingham,  LL.D.  .     .    .  Charleftown,  Mafs. 

James  E.  Gale,  Efq Haverhill,  Mafs. 

Marcus  D.  Gilman,  Efq Montpelier,  Vt. 

The  Hon.  John  E.  Godfrey Bangor,  Me. 

Abner  C.  Goodell,  Jr.,  A.M Salem,  Mafs. 

Elbridge  H.  Gofs,  Efq Bofton,  Mafs. 

The  Hon.  Horace  Gray,  LL.D Bofton,  Mafs. 

George  Frederick  Gray,  Efq Dover,  N.H. 

William  W.  Greenough,  A.B Bofton,  Mafs. 

Ifaac  J.  Greenwood,  A.M New  York,  N.Y. 

Charles  H.  Guild,  Efq Somerville,  Mafs. 

The  Hon.  Robert  S.  Hale,  LL.D Elizabethtown,  N.Y. 

19 


146  The  Prince  Society. 

C.  Fifke  Harris,  A.M Providence,  R.I. 

David  Greene  Haflcins,  Jr.  A.M Cambridge,  Mafs. 

The  Hon.  Francis  B.  Hayes,  A.M Bofton,  Mafs. 

Francis  S.  Hoffman,  Efq.  . Philadelphia,  Pa. 

James  F.  Hunnewell,  Efq Charleftown,  Mafs. 

Theodore  Irwin,  Efq Ofwego,  N.Y. 

William  Porter  Jarvis,  A.M Bofton,  Mafs. 

John  S.  Jennefs,  A.B New  York,  N.Y. 

Mr.  Sawyer  Junior Nafhua,  N.H. 

Edward  F.  de  Lancey,  Efq New  York,  N.Y. 

William  B.  Lapham,  M.D Augufta,  Me. 

John  J.  Latting,  A.M New  York,  N.Y. 

Thomas  J.  Lee,  Efq Bofton,  Mafs. 

Jofeph  Leonard,  Efq Bofton,  Mafs. 

John  A.  Lewis,  Efq Bofton,  Mafs. 

William  T.  R.  Marvin,  A.M Bofton,  Mafs. 

William  F.  Matchett,  Efq Bofton,  Mafs. 

Frederic  W.  G.  May,  Efq Bofton,  Mafs. 

The  Rev.  James  H.  Means,  D.D Bofton,  Mafs. 

George  H.  Moore,  LL.D New  York,  N.Y. 

The  Hon.  Henry  C.  Murphy Brooklyn,  N.Y. 

The  Rev.  James  De  Normandie,  A.M.     .    .     .  Portfmouth,  N.H. 

The  Hon.  James  W.  North Augufta,  Me. 

Charles  Eliot  Norton,  A.M Cambridge,  Mafs. 

George  T.  Paine,  Efq Providence,  R.I. 

The  Hon.  John  Gorham  Palfrey,  LL.D.   ...  Cambridge,  Mafs. 

Daniel  Parifti,  Jr.,  Efq New  York,  N.Y. 

Francis  Parkman,  LL.B Bofton,  Mafs. 

Auguftus  T.  Perkins,  A.M Bofton,  Mafs. 

The  Rev.  William  Stevens  Perry,  D.D.    .     .     .  Geneva,  N.Y. 

William  Frederic  Poole,  A.M Chicago,  111. 

George  Prince,  Efq Bath,  Me. 

Capt.  William  Prince,  U.S.A Springfield,  Mafs. 

The  Hon.  John  V.  L.  Pruyn,  LL.D Albany,  N.Y. 

Samuel  S.  Purple,  M.D New  York,  N.Y. 

The  Hon.  John  Phelps  Putnam,  A.M.      .     .     .  Bofton,  Mafs. 

The  Rev.  Alonzo  H.  Quint,  D.D Dover,  N.H. 


The  Prince  Society.  147 


Edward  S.  Rand,  A.M. .     . Bofton,  Mafs. 

Edward  S.  Rand,  Jr.,  A.M Bofton,  Mafs. 

Edward  Afliton  Rollins,  A.M Great  Falls,  N.H. 

The  Rev.  Carlos  Slafter,  A.M Dedham,  Mafs. 

The  Rev.  Edmund  F.  Slafter,  A.M Bofton,  Mafs. 

Charles  C.  Smith,  Efq Bofton,  Mafs. 

Samuel  T.  Snow,  Efq Bofton,  Mafs. 

The  Hon.  Thomas  Spooner Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Oliver  Blifs  Stebbins,  Efq Bofton,  Mafs. 

George  Stevens,  Efq Lowell,  Mafs. 

Edwin  W.  Stoughton,  Efq New  York,  N.Y. 

The  Hon.  Benj.  F.  Thomas,  LL.D Bofton,  Mafs. 

John  Wingate  Thornton,  A.M Bofton,  Mafs. 

William  B.  Trafk,  Efq Bofton,  Mafs. 

The  Hon.  William  H.  Tuthill Tipton,  Iowa. 

Charles  W.  Tuttle,  A.M Bofton,  Mafs. 

Alexander  Hamilton  Vinton,  D.D Bofton,  Mafs. 

George  W.  Wales,  Efq Bofton,  Mafs. 

Jofeph  B.  Walker,  A.M Concord,  N.H. 

William  Henry  Wardwell,  Efq Bofton,  Mafs. 

Mifs  Rachel  Wetherill Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Henry  Wheatland,  A.M.,  M.D Salem,  Mafs. 

Edmund  March  Wheelwright Bofton,  Mafs. 

William  H.  Whitmore,  A.M Bofton,  Mafs. 

Henry  Auftin  Whitney,  A.M Bofton,  Mafs. 

The  Hon.  Marfliall  P.  Wilder Bofton,  Mafs. 

Henry  Winfor,  Efq Philadelphia,  Pa. 

The  Hon.  Robert  C.  Winthrop,  LL.D.     .     .     .  Bofton,  Mafs. 

Charles  Levi  Woodbury,  Efq Bofton,  Mafs. 

Afhbel  Woodward,  M.D Franklin,  Ct 


LIBRARIES. 

American  Antiquarian  Society Worcefter,  Mafs. 

Amherft  College  Library Amherft,  Mafs. 

Bofton  Athenaeum Bofton,  Mafs. 


148  The  Prince  Society. 

Bofton  Library  Society Bofton,  Mafs. 

Britifh  Mufeum London,  Eng. 

Concord  Public  Library Concord,  Mafs. 

Eben  Dale  Reference  Library Peabody,  Mafs. 

Free  Public  Library Worcefter,  Mafs. 

Grofvenor  Library Buffalo,  N.Y. 

Hiflorical  Society  of  Pennfylvania Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Library  Company  of  Philadelphia Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Long  Ifland  Hiflorical  Society Brooklyn,  N.Y. 

Maine  Hiftorical  Society Brunfwick,  Me. 

Maryland  Hiftorical  Society Baltimore,  Md. 

Maffachufetts  Hiftorical  Society Bofton,  Mafs. 

Mercantile  Library New  York,  N.Y. 

New  England  Hiftoric  Genealogical  Society      .  Bofton,  Mafs. 

Newburyport  Public  Library,  Peabody  Fund     .  Newburyport,  Mafs. 

Portfmouth  Athenaeum Portfmouth,  N.H. 

Public  Library  of  the  City  of  Bofton    ....  Bofton,  Mafs. 

Redwood  Library Newport,  R.I. 

State  Library  of  Maffachufetts Bofton,  Mafs. 

State  Library  of  New  York Albany,  N.Y. 

State  Library  of  Rhode  Ifland Providence,  R.I. 

State  Library  of  Vermont Montpelier,  Vt. 

Williams  College  Library Williamftown,  Mafs. 

Yale  College  Library New  Haven,  Ct. 


PUBLICATIONS    OF    THE   SOCIETY. 


NEW  ENGLAND'S  PROSPECT. 

A  true,  lively  and  experimentall  defcription  of  that  part  of  America,  commonly  called 
New  England :  difcovering  the  State  of  that  Countrie,  both  as  it  ftands  to  our  new- 
come  Engli/h  Planters ;  and  to  the  old  Natiue  Inhabitants.  By  WILLIAM  WOOD. 
London,  1634.  Preface  by  Charles  Deane,  LL.D. 

THE  HUTCHINSON  PAPERS. 

A  Collection  of  Original  Papers  relative  to  the  Hiftory  of  the  Colony  of  Maffachu- 
fetts-Bay.  Reprinted  from  the  edition  of  1769.  Edited  by  William  H.  Whitmore, 
A.M.,  and  William  S.  Appleton,  A.M.  2  vols. 

JOHN  DUNTON'S  LETTERS  FROM  NEW  ENGLAND. 

Letters  written  from  New  England  A.D.  1686.  By  John  Dunton  in  which  are 
defcribed  his  voyages  by  Sea,  his  travels  on  land,  and  the  characters  of  his  friends 
and  acquaintances.  Now  firft  publiflied  from  the  Original  Manufcript  in  the  Bodleian 
Library,  Oxford.  Edited  by  William  H.  Whitmore,  A.M. 

THE  ANDROS  TRACTS. 

Being  a  Collection  of  Pamphlets  and  Official  Papers  iffued  during  the  period  be- 
tween the  overthrow  of  the  Andros  Government  and  the  eftablifhment  of  the  fecond 
Charter  of  Maffachufetts.  Reprinted  from  the  original  editions  and  manufcripts. 
With  a  Memoir  of  Sir  Edmund  Andros,  by  the  editor,  William  H.  Whitmore,  A.M. 
3  vols. 

SIR  WILLIAM  ALEXANDER  AND  AMERICAN  COLONIZATION. 

Including  three  Royal  Charters,  iffued  in  1621,  1625,  1628  ;  a  Tract  entitled  an 
Encouragement  to  Colonies,  by  Sir  William  Alexander,  1624;  a  Patent,  from  the 
Great  Council  for  New  England,  of  Long  Ifland,  and  a  part  of  the  prefent  State  of 
Maine ;  a  Roll  of  the  Knights  Baronets  of  New  Scotland ;  with  a  Memoir  of  Sir 
William  Alexander,  by  the  editor,  the  Rev.  Edmund  F.  Slafter,  A.M. 

JOHN  WHEELWRIGHT. 

Including  his  Faft-day  Sermon,  1637 ;  his  Mercurius  Americanus,  1645,  an<^  other 
writings  ;  with  a  paper  on  the  genuinenefs  of  the  Indian  deed  of  1629,  and  a  Memoir 
by  the  editor,  Charles  H.  Bell,  A.M. 

VOYAGES  OF  THE  NORTHMEN  TO  AMERICA. 

Including  extracts  from  Icelandic  Sagas  relating  to  weftern  voyages  by  North- 
men in  the  tenth  and  eleventh  centuries,  in  an  Englifh  tranflation  by  North  Ludlow 
Beamifh ;  with  a  Synopfis  of  the  hiftorical  evidence  and  the  opinion  of  Profeffor 
Rafn  as  to  the  places  vifited  by  the  Scandinavians  on  the  coaft  of  America.  Edited, 
with  an  Introduction,  by  the  Rev.  Edmund  F.  Slafter,  A.M. 


VOLUMES    IN    PREPARATION. 


1.  CHAMPLAIN'S  VOYAGES  TO  NEW  FRANCE,  including  the  Voyage  of  1603,  and 
all  contained  in  the  editions  of  1613  and  1619.     Tranflated  into  Englifh  by  CHARLES 
P.  OTIS,  Ph.D.     Edited,  with  a  Memoir  and  hiftorical   illuftrations,  by  the  Rev. 
EDMUND  F.  SLAFTER,  A.M. 

2.  CAPTAIN  JOHN  MASON,  the  founder  of  New  Hampfhire,  including  his  Tract  on 
Newfoundland,  1620,  and  the  feveral  American  Charters  in  which  he  was  a  Grantee  j 
with  a  Memoir  and  hiftorical  illuftrations  by  CHARLES  W.  TUTTLE,  A.M. 

3.  SIR  FERDINANDO  GORGES,  including  his  Tract  entitled  A  Brief  Narration,  1658, 
American  Charters  granted  to  him,  and  other  papers  ;  with  hiftorical  illuftrations  and 
a  Memoir  by  the  Rev.  EDMUND  F.  SLAFTER,  A.M. 

4.  SIR  HUMPHREY  GILBERT,  including  his  Difcourfe  to  prove  a  Paffage  by  the 
North-Weft  to  Cathaia  and  the  Eaft  Indies ;  and  his  Letters  Patent  to  difcover  and 
poffefs  lands  in  North  America,  granted  by  Queen  Elizabeth,  June  n,  1578;  with 
hiftorical  illuftrations  and  a  Memoir  by  CHARLES  W.  TUTTLE,  A.M. 

It  is  the  intention  of  the  Council  to  iffue  at  leaft  one  volume  annually,  but  not 
neceffarily  in  the  order  in  which  they  are  placed  above. 

NOTE.  —  Communications  for  officers  of  the  Prince  Society  may  be  directed  to 
18  SOMERSET  STREET,  BOSTON. 


BOSTON,  20  February,  1877. 


INDEX. 


INDEX. 


ACHY,  85. 

Adalbrand,  97. 

Adam  of  Bremen,  118,  128,  129,  131. 

Africa,  70,  72. 

Albania,  78,  96. 

Albany,  136. 

Alf,  78. 

Alptafjord,  24,  26,  46. 

Amelanus,  76. 

America,    9,  10,  n,  13,  16,  17,  18,  21, 

46,  50,  72,  1 10,   125,  127,  129,  130, 

131,  132,  134,  135,  136. 
Anderfon,  R.  B.,  137, 
Anlaf,  76. 

Antiquarian  Mufeum,  15. 
Antiquaries,  Northern,  Society  of,  9, 

34,  131,  135- 
Antiquitates     Americanae,    127,    130, 

133,  134- 
Antiquities,  Northern,  Illuftrations  of, 

43- 

Antiquities,  Northern,  135. 
Archaeology,  Northern,  Guide  to,  14, 

17,  135- 


20 


Arctic,  25. 

Arnarhvol,  81. 

Arnafon,  Jon.,  138. 

Arnbjorn,  79,  84,  85,  89. 

Arnlaug,  26. 

Arnlaugsfjord,  26. 

Afbrand,  79,  83. 

Afbrandfon,  Bjorn,  79,  80,  81,  82,  83, 

84,  96,  122. 
Afleik,  46. 
Atlantic,  19. 
Atli,  76,  78. 
Auftfjord,  64,  104,  log. 
Avalldamon,  109. 
Avalldania,  61. 


B. 


Bahama  Ifles,  115. 

Bakke,  85,  89. 

Baltic,  77. 

Barnard,  Rev.  R.  M.,  136. 

Barnftaple,  115. 

Barrow,  John,  139. 

Bavaria,  71. 


154 


Index. 


Baylies,  Dr.,  133. 

Beamifh,  North  Ludlow,   16,  23,   24, 
25,  26,  27,  29,  31,  32,  34,  37,  39, 

134- 

Bede,  72,  73- 
Bedouin  Arabs,  115. 
Bergen,  71. 
Biarn  or  Bjarni,  26,  27,  28,  29,  30,  31, 

49,  54,  58,  62,  98,  99,  100,  113,  114. 
Bibliographical,  127. 
Biorn  Afbrandfon,  123,  124. 
Bjanney,  49,  50,  105. 
Bjarmeland,  70,  71. 
Bjarni  Grimolfson,  61,  109. 
Bjorn,  69,  80,  85,  86,  87,  88,  89,  90, 

9.1,  92,  96. 
Bjorn,  Bp.,  63. 
Bjorn  Haldorfon,  68. 
Blaland,  59. 
Blaferkr,  25. 
Blig,  Thord,  86. 
Blue  Hills,  116. 
Borgafjord,  25,  94. 
Bork,  79. 
Boru.  77. 
Braavalle,  73. 
Brand,  24. 
Brand,  Bp.,  63,  69. 
Brande,  118,  120. 
Brattahlid,  25,  27,  31,  36,  43,  44,  45, 

47,  48,  98,  104. 

Breidafjord,  24,  25,  8r,  94,  104. 
Breidavik,  79,  84,  95,  97. 
Breidavikingakappa,  Bjorn,  79,  122. 
Breidvikinga,  83. 
Bremen,  68,  no. 
Britain,  35,  73,  74. 
Bucanan,  Robert,  138. 
Burislaus,  84. 
Buzzard's  Bay,  116. 
Byrdufmjor,  Bjarni,  46. 


Cabot,  John,  19. 

Calendar,  Julian,  40. 

Cambrenfis,  76. 

Canute,  118. 

Cape  Cod,  114,  116,  119,  137. 

Cape  Sable,  114. 

Carlyle,  Thomas,  137. 

Carolina,  96,  97,  121. 

Caffiterides,  74. 

Ceallachan  Caifil,  77. 

Celtic,  74. 

Celts,  85. 

Charles  X.,  15. 

Chatham,  115. 

Chaucer,  89. 

Chefapeake  Bay,  97,  121. 

Chicago,  137. 

Chrift,  52,  73. 

Chriftiana,  Univerfity  of,  136. 

Chriftianity,  13,   14,  16,  25,  26,  39,  40, 

44,  52,  7°,  76. 
Chriftian  IV.,  15,  49. 
Chriftian  V.,  16. 
Chriftians,  73,  74,  75. 
Chriftmas,  104. 
Cimbric,  77. 
Clontarff,  77. 
Collection,    Arnas-Magnaean,    17,    44, 

46,  75,  76. 

Columbus,  19,  61,  71,  134,  137. 
Con,  76. 

Conannicut,  120. 
Connecticut,  121. 
Copenhagen,  11,  15,  59,  61,  72,  133, 

135- 

Cofmos,  135. 
Crantz,  David,  136. 
Cuba,  115. 
Cuvier,  54. 


Index. 


155 


D. 


Danes,  Danifli,  n,  15,  24,  37,  45,  76, 
77,  104,  112,  118,  125,  127,  128,  129, 

131- 

Danforth,  Dr.,  133. 

Danube,  77. 

Dafent,  George  Webbe,  138. 

Day,  names  of  portions  of  by  North- 
men, 126. 

De  Cofta,  B.  F.,  136. 

Delaware,  121. 

Denmark,  15,  16,  35,  70,  71,  83,  128. 

Dicuil,  73,  74. 

Dighton,  ii,  132,  133,  134,  137. 

Digramula,  82. 

Diodorus,  85. 

Db'gurdarnefs,  8l. 

Dolum,  78. 

Drange,  23. 

Drepftock,  27. 

Drontheim,  26. 

Dublin,  62,  76,  80,  92,  95,  123,  124, 
130. 

Dufferin,  Lord,  139. 

Du  Frefnes,  73. 


E. 

Eaftfjordifh,  47. 

Eaftman,  76. 

Ebeling,  52. 

Egg  Ifland,  116,  119. 

Eider-ducks,  119. 

Einar,  26,  63,  98. 

Einarsfjord,  26. 

Eirin,  74. 

Ellefmere,  Earl  of,  17,  125,  135. 

England,  70,  131. 

Englifh,  113. 


Erik,  Bp.,  of  Greenland,  97. 

Erikfey,  25. 

Eriksfjord,  25,  36,  40,  41,  42,  43,  63, 

67,  72,  98,  103,  109. 
Erikfon,  Leif,  30. 
Erikftad,  24. 
Erik,  the  Red,  17,  23,  24,  25,  26,  30, 

3i,  36,  39»  44,  45,  46,  47,  49»  5°,  56» 
63,  64,  78,  88,  98,  99,  104,  137. 

Erlendfon,  Hauk,  18,  46,  63. 

Erlend  Sterka,  63. 

Efpihol,  63. 

Efquimaux,  39,  57,  102,  121. 

Ethiopia,  59. 

Europe,  70. 

Everett,  Edward,  131,  132. 

Eyra,  83. 

Eyrar,  27. 

Eyrbyggia  Saga,  43. 

Eyulf,  24. 

Eyulf  Soer,  24. 

Eyvind,  76. 


F. 


Fall  River,  Skeleton  in  Armor  at,  137. 

Faroe  Iflands,  74,  75,  139. 

Finmark,  71. 

Finnbogi,  64,  65,  66,  109. 

Flateyenfis,  Codex,  17,  23. 

Florida,  97,  121,  122. 

Florida,  Straits  of,  116. 

Flofe,  63. 

Forfter,  John  Reinhold,  130. 

Frederick,  Bp.,  26,  76. 

Frederic  III.,  15,  17. 

Freydis,  or  Frydifa,  27,  49,  57,  64,  65, 

66,  67,  104,  108,  109,  no. 
Fridgerda,  45,  46. 
Frigga,  52. 
Frifians,  77. 


156 


Index. 


Frithiof,  49. 

Froda,  79,  81,  82,  83,  85,  86,  87,  94, 

95,  123,  124. 
Frode,  Ari,  74,  78,  122. 
Fru  Hallbera,  63. 
Fru  Ingigerd,  63. 
Furduftrandir,  72,  105,  106,  114. 
Furduftrands,  51,  53. 
Fyrifvall,  84,  123. 
Fyrifvold,  96. 

G. 

Gamlafon,  Thorhall,  47,  48. 

Gardar,  24,  70,  72. 

Garde,  27,  64. 

Gardner,  Job,  133. 

Gaul,  85. 

Geir  Godi,  90. 

Cellar,  Thord,  46. 

Georgia,  96,  97,  121. 

German,  31,  35,  68,  99,  101,  no,  112, 

135. 

Ginnungagap,  72. 

Giffur,  44,  90. 

Glaumbae,  69,  no. 

Glaumbaeland,  69. 

Goodwin,  133. 

Gormfon,  Harald,  84. 

Gottland,  70. 

Great  Ireland,  61,  121. 

Greeks,  32. 

Greenland,  13,  18,  23,  25,  26,  27,  28, 
29,  30,  33,  35,  39,  40,  43,  44,  45,  46, 
47,  48,  So,  52,  63,  64,  66,  67,  70,  71, 
72,  78,  97,  98,  99,  101,  103,  105,  109, 
1 10,  113,  120,  124,  134,  136. 

Greenwood,  Dr.,  133. 

Grimhild,  41,  42. 

Grimolfson,  Bjarni,  47,  49,  104. 

Gripla,  71,  72. 


Grdnland,   Hiftorifke   Mindefmasrker, 

24. 

Grundarketil,  63. 
Gudlaug,  92. 

Gudleif,  78,  92,  93,  94,  95,  96. 
Gudleif  Gudlaugfon,  92,  96,  122,  123, 

124. 
Gudrid,  36,  40,  41,  42,  43,  48,  49,  58, 

63,  64,  69,  103,  104,  107. 
Gudrun,  63. 
Gulf-Stream,  115,  116. 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  115. 
Gunnar,  90. 
Gunnbjarnafker,  25. 
Gunnbjbrn,  25. 
Gunnlaug,  79. 
Gurnet  Point,  1 16. 
Gyrd,  92. 

H. 

Hafgerdingar,  27. 
Hafgrim,  26. 
Hafgrimsfjord,  26. 
Hafrafell,  75. 
Haki,  50,  105. 
Hakluyt  Society,  135. 
Hakon,  137. 
Halfrida,  no. 
Halla,  63. 
Hallfrid,  63,  69. 
Hallftein,  79. 
Hannoverae,  128. 
Harold,  King,  75,  84. 
Harris,  Samuel,  132. 
Haugabret,  85. 
Haukadal,  24. 
Hauk  Lagman,  63. 
Haukfbdk,  75. 
Head,  Sir  Edmund,  138. 
Hebrides,  27,  80,  81. 


Index. 


157 


Hegeland,  26. 

Heimfkringla,  15,  1 7,  44,  45,  I29- 

Hekja,  50,  105. 

Helgafell,  78,  80,  8 1,  92,  95. 

Helgafon,  97. 

Helge,  76. 

Helgi,  64,  65,  109. 

Helluland,  31,  50,  70,  72,  loo,  105,  113. 

Helfingeland,  70. 

Henderfon,  Ebenezer,  139. 

Hergil  Neprafs,  76. 

Herjulf,  26,  27,  30,  98. 

Herjulfsfjord,  26. 

Herjulfsnefs,   or  Heriulfsnes,  26,  27, 

29,  98. 

Herjulfson,  Bard,  26. 
Hefthofdi,  Thord,  46. 
Hitardal,  24. 
Hitchcock,  114,  117. 
Hjelte,  44. 
Hlymreksfari,  76. 
Hogna,  75. 
Holda,  45. 
Holm,  25. 
Holftein,  71. 
Hdlum,  76. 
Honeydew,  118. 
H<5p,  106,  116,  117. 
Hope,  59,  60,  108. 
Hornftrand,  23. 
Hrafnfgnipa,  25. 
Hraunhbfn,  123. 
Humboldt,  Alex.  Von,  135. 
Hvidferk,  71. 

Hvftramannaland,  96,  121,  122. 
Hyma,  46. 


I. 


Iceland  and  Icelandic,  13,  15,  16,  17, 
18,  19,  20,  23,  25,  26,  27,  33,  34,  35, 


43,  44,  46,  47,  49,  50,  52,  54,  62,  63, 
70,  72,  73,  74,  75,  76,  77,  78,  79>  80, 
81,  84,  92,  94,  95,  96,  98,  109,  no, 

III,  Il6,  120,  122,  123,  124,  125, 
131,  134,  138. 

Icelanders,  9,  13,  43,  64,  74,  78,  80,  93, 

123,  135,  137- 
Illugi,  78. 

Indian,  59,  114,  117,  119,  122. 
Indian  corn,  nS. 
Ingolf,  23,  26. 
Ingveld,  69. 
Ireland,  62,  70,  76,  92,  95,  96,  106, 

122,  131. 

Ireland,  Great,  72,  76,  77,  96,  97. 
Irifh,  45,  46,  61,  72,  73,  74,  75,  76, 

78,  80,  93,  96,  104,  109,  122,  123, 

134- 

Irving,  61. 
Ivar,  76. 

J- 

Jaeder,  23. 
Jaerunda,  24.. 
Jamiefon,  43. 
Jarnfid,  Bjarni,  46. 
Johnfon,  Anngrim,  15. 
Johnfon,  Bjorn,  25,  46,  71. 
Jomfborg,  84,  96,  122. 
Jomfvikings,  84,  96. 
Jorund,  63,  78. 
Juvenal,  73. 

K. 

Kamb,  79,  80,  87,  88,  89. 

Karlfefne,  Thorfinn,  17,  18,  23,  45, 
46,  47,  48,  49,  50,  53,  54,  55,  56,  57, 
58,  59,  60,  63,  64,  67,  68,  69,  70,  96, 


158 


Index. 


104,  106,  107,  108,  109,   1 10,   116, 

117,  137- 
Katla,  76,  78. 
Keelnefs,  38. 
Keldum,  63. 
Kendall,  133. 
Ketil,  26,  79. 
Ketilsfjord,  26. 
Keyfer,  Prof.,  136. 
Kjalarnefs,  or  Kialarnes,  38,  50,  54, 

59,  102,  105,  106,  108,  114,  116. 
Kjartan,  83,  86,  94,  95,  124. 
Kjarval,  46. 

Knarrarbringa,  Thorbjb'rg,  24. 
Kneeland,  Dr.  Samuel,  139. 
Kodran,  26. 
Krage,  Ulf,  25. 
Kroflanefs,  39,  103. 
Kvendlands,  70. 


Labrador,  131. 

Lag-thing,  24. 

Laing,  Samuel,  15,  17,  44,  45,  129. 

Landna"mab<5k,  63,  75,  77. 

Lappenberg,  M.,  128. 

Latin,  11,  125,  127,  130. 

Laxdaela  Saga,  32. 

Leif,  24,  26,  30,  31,  33,  35,  36,  37,  40, 
43,  44,  45,  47,  64,  65,  67,  70,  77, 
78,  99,  100,  101,  104,  105,  114. 

Leifsbooths,  102,  103,  no,  117,  121. 

Leinfter,  77. 

Libyan,  115. 

Lidarend,  90. 

Limerick,  76,  77,  122. 

Linnaeus,  52,  54. 

Lodbrok,  Ragnar,  46. 

Lodverflbn,  Sigurd,  80. 


London,  129,  131,  134,  135,  136. 
Lower  Canada,  113. 
Lull,  Edward  P.,  116. 
Lyfefjord,  40,  103. 


M. 

Magnuffen,  Prof.  Arnas,  16,  17,  132. 

Magnuffbn,  Eirikur,  138. 

Magnufen,  Finn,  24,  33,  40,  52,  61,  68. 

Major,  R.  H.,  135. 

Mallet,  89. 

Mallet,  Paul  Henri,  135. 

Man,  80. 

Mar,  76,  78,  90,  91. 

Markland,  31,  50,  61,  70,  78,  100,  105, 

109,  113,  114. 
Mare  Oceanum,  72. 
Marfeilles,  73. 

Marfon,  Ari,  75,  76,  77,  78,  121,  122. 
Martha's  Vineyard,  116. 
Mary,  Holy  Virgin,  17. 
Maryland,  121. 
Maffachufetts,  52. 
Mather,  Dr.  Cotton,  133. 
Mazer-tree,  no,  118. 
Medallfellftrand,  80. 
Melabdk,  75. 
Metcalfe,  F.,  139. 
Midjokul,  25. 
Miles,  Pliny,  139. 
Monomoy,  115. 
Mont  Haup,  117. 
Moore,  62,  77. 
Morris,  William,  138. 
Mount  Hope's  Bay,  116,  117,  120. 
Miiller,  Bp.,  79. 
Munfter,  76,  77. 
Mufeum,  Britifh,  135. 


Index. 


N. 


Nadodd,  24. 

Nan  tucket,  114,  120. 

Narratives,  Minor,  72. 

Naufet,  114,  115. 

Neil,  77. 

New  Brunfwick,  113. 

Newfoundland,  31,  50,  113,  131. 

New  Jerfey,  121. 

Newport,  n,  117,  137. 

New  York,  121. 

Nial,  52. 

Nicholas,  St.,  72. 

Nidaros,  26. 

Njal's  Saga,  138. 

Norie,  J.  W.,  113. 

Norfe,  109,  123. 

Norfk,  35. 

North  America,  115,  125. 

North  American  Pilot,  113. 

Northmen,  9,  10,  n,  12,  16,  17,  21,  23, 
24,  29,  32,  34,  36,  52,  62,  68,  73,  74, 
75,  76,  77,  89,  96,  97,  107,  108,  109, 
113,  114,  115,  118,  119,  125,  129, 

13°,  131- 

Norway,  13,  15,  16,  23,  24,  26,  27,  30, 
35,  40,  45,  64,  68,  71,  73,  74,  75,  77, 
80,  83,  98,  109,  1 10,  129,  131,  136, 

137. 

Norwegians,  72,  77,  104. 
Notices,  Geographical,  70. 
Nova  Scotia,  31,  113. 


O. 

O'Brien,  74,  77,  85. 
Oddfon,  77. 
Odels-thing,  24. 
Oder,  84. 


Odin,  24,  52,  138. 

Oehlenfchlager,  52. 

CEland,  70. 

CExney,  24. 

O'Halloran,  76,  77. 

Ohio,  121. 

Olaf,  King,  26,  44,  45,  50,  72,  84,  92, 

96,  105. 
Olafs,  17. 
Orkneys,  77,  78,  80,  81,  96,  122, 

139- 

Orleans,  115. 
Orm,  79,  81. 
Ofvald,  23. 
Otkatla,  78. 
Otte',  E.  C,  135. 


P. 

Palnatoki,  84,  96,  123. 
Papas,  73,  75. 
Papey,  75. 
Papyli,  75. 
Peirce,  Prof.,  116. 
Percy,  Bp.,  135. 
Pertz,  Geo.  Henry,  128. 
Peterfen,  N.  M.,  14,  77,  80. 
Pfeiffer,  Ida,  139. 
Phoenician,  132. 
Pigott,  Grenville,  52,  138. 
Pliny,  54,  73. 
Pocaflet  River,  1 1 7. 
Point  Judith,  120. 
Pomerania,  84. 
Ponce  de  Leon,  John,  122. 
Powell,  Geo.  E.  J.,  138. 
Prince  Society,  21. 
Puerto  Bello,  61. 
Pytheas,  73. 


i6o 


Index. 


R. 


Rafn,  Charles  Chriftian,  10,  II,  12,  22, 
24,  26,  30,  31,  32,  34,  54,  59,  60,  68, 
69,  70,  71,  76,  97,  98,  112,  125,  132, 

133- 

Rafn,  the  duellift,  24. 

Rafn,  Limerick  merchant,  76,  77,  122. 

Rafnsfjord,  26. 

Raghlin,  77. 

Raunhafnarfos,  84. 

Raunhofn,  85,  89,  92. 

Rechrin,  77. 

Reykjanefs,  27,  75,  78,  122. 

Reynifnefs,  63. 

Review,  North  American,  131. 

Rhode  Ifland,  52. 

Rhode   Ifland   Historical  Society,  10, 

",  133- 
Rimbegla,  59. 
Rjupa,  Thorhild,  46. 
Rolf,  Duke,  77. 
Romans,  32. 
Rome,  43,  no. 
Rugman,  15. 

Runic,  Runes,  14,  131,  132,  133. 
Runolf,  69. 
Ryg,  Thorvald,  46. 


S. 


Sagamen,  14. 

Sagas,  14,  23. 

Saxo,  73. 

Saxons,  77. 

Saxony,  68,  71. 

Scandinavian,  9,  10,  n,  16,  17,  20,  21, 

33,  34,  52,  60,  90,  127,  131,  132,  134, 

135,  136- 
Schedae,  74. 


Scotland,  70,  73. 

Scots,  51,  85,  105. 

Scott,  Sir  Walter,  43,  89. 

Scottifh,  45,  104. 

Scythian,  132. 

Seaconnet,  117,  120. 

Seakings,  136. 

Setftokka,  24. 

Sewall,  Stephen,  133. 

Shawanefe  Indians,  121. 

Shetland  Iflands,  139. 

Siglefjord,  26. 

Sigurd,  77,  81,  83,  96. 

Sigvald,  92. 

Sinding,  Paul  C,  136. 

Sitaracus,  76. 

Sitric,  62,  76,  77. 

Skagafjord,  68,  no. 

Skalholt,  17. 

Skardfo,  46. 

Skraelings,  39,  56,  57,  58,  61,  78,  96, 

1 02,  103,  107,  1 08,  109. 
Skraelingfland,  72. 
Slafter,  Edmund  F.,  22,  116. 
Smith,  Jofhua  Tolman,  133. 
Snasfells,  79. 
Snaefellfjokul,  25. 
Sne  eland,  24. 
Sniofelfnes,  123. 
Snorri  or  Snorre,  46,  48,  54,  55,  56,  58, 

69,  73,  79,  I04,  107,  109,  1 10,  123. 
Snorri  Godi,  79,  81,  83,  87,  89,  90,  91, 

92,  94,  96,  123. 

Snorri,  Karlfefnefon,  60,  63,  69. 
Snorri,  Skard,  77. 
Snorri  Sturlefon,  60,  123. 
Snowland,  24. 
Scelve,  26. 
Soelvedal,  26. 
Soer,  Eyulf,  24. 
Solinus,  73. 


Index. 


161 


Spaniards,  122. 

Stad,  63. 

Steindlf,  76,  77. 

Steinum,  63. 

Stockholm,  15. 

Straumey,  51,  105,  116. 

Straumfjord,  58,  60,  92,  105,  116. 

Streamfirth,  108. 

Sturlefon  Snorro,  15,  60,  123,  129. 

Sturlunger,  77,  92. 

Styrbjorn,  84,  88,  96. 

Sur,  79. 

Svendfon,  Brynjulf,  Bp.,  15. 

Sveyn  Eftrithfon,  118,  128. 

Svinoe,  24. 

Sweden,  15,  35,  70,  71,  84,  96,  123. 

Swedes,  77. 

Swedifh,  24,  45,  68,  104. 

Swendfon,  Bp.,  17. 

T. 

Taunton,  117. 

Taunton  River,  117,  137. 

Tegner,  49. 

Tellemark,  73. 

Thing,  24. 

Thjodhild,  78. 

Thor,  24,  49,  52. 

Thorbiorn,  24,  40,  49,  63,  79,  81,  104. 

Thorbjorg,  76,  78. 

Thorbjornglora,  26. 

Thorbrandfibn,  Helge,  26. 

Thorbrandfon,  Snorri,  46,  55,  104. 

Thorbrand  Snorrafon,  57,  108. 

Thord,  45,  46,  86,  87. 

Thordarfon,  Ion,  17. 

Thordis,  63,  78,  79. 

Thorer,  36,  40,  45,  63. 

Thorer  Vidlegg,  81,  82,  83. 

Thoreffon,  Ulf-Oxne,  23. 


21 


Thorfinn,  78,  92,  104,  123. 

Thorfinn  Ligurdfon,  122. 

Thorgeir,  24,  63,  69,  78. 

Thorgeller,  24. 

Thorgerd,  27,  78. 

Thorgeft,  24. 

Thorgeftlingers,  24. 

Thorgill  Kollfon,  78. 

Thorgils,  78. 

Thorgrim,  79. 

Thorgrim  Galdrakin,  87. 

Thorgrirafon,  Styr,  24,  25. 

Thorhall,  51,  52,  53,  59,  104,  106,  108. 

Thorhallflbn,  Magnus,  17. 

Thorhild,  24. 

Thorkafjord,  75. 

Thorkell  Gellerfon,  77,  122. 

Thorkelin,  Grim,  61. 

Thorlacius,  Bp.,  34. 

Thorlacius,  Birgen,  61. 

Thorlak,  83. 

Thorlak  Runolfon,  Bp.,  63,  69,  no. 

Thorodd,  80,  81,  82,  83,  86,  87,  89,  91. 

Thorolf  Eyrar  Loptfon,  92. 

Thorfnefs,  83. 

Thorfnefthing,  24. 

Thorftein,  27,  40,  41,  42,  43,  103. 

Thorftein  Ranglatr,  63. 

Thorum,  46. 

Thorunn,  63,  69. 

Thorvald,  23,  24,  26,  27,  37,  38,  40, 

49»  So,  59.  6°.  I2°- 
Thorvald  Kodranfon,  76. 
Thorvald  Krok,  63. 
Thorvaldfon,  Bertel,  fculptor,  60. 
Thorwald,  101,  102,  103. 
Thorward,  104. 
Thule,  73,  74. 
Thurid,  32,  48,  49,  63,  79,  81,  82,  83, 

85,  86,  87,  91,  92,  94,  95,  123,  124. 
Thyle,  73- 


162 


Index. 


Torfaeus,  46,  68,  129,  130,  131,  136. 

Tryggvius,  26,  105. 

Tyrker,  31,  33,  34,  35,  3^,  99,  101. 


U. 

Ulf,  75,  78. 
Ulfter,  77. 
Unipedes,  60. 
Upfala,  84. 
Uflier,  Archb.,  77. 
Uvaege,  61,  109. 


Vaedrafjordr,  76. 
Val,  81. 
Valgerde,  63. 
Vallancey,  Col.,  132. 
Valldidida,  61,  109. 
Vathelldi  or  Vethilldi,  61,  109. 
Vatnahverf,  26. 
Vatfhorn,  24. 
Venezuela,  115. 
Vermeland,  70. 
Vethilldi,  109. 
Vidforla,  Eric,  17. 
Vifilfon,  Thorbjorn,  24. 
Viga  Glum's  Saga,  138. 


Vikings,  136. 

Vindingius,  P.,  130. 

Vinland,  34,  35,  37,  40,  44,  45,  47,  48, 
50,  53,  60,  61,  64,  68,  70,  72,  76,  78, 
99,  101,  102,  103,  104,  1-06,  109,  no, 
114,  121,  124,  128,  129,  131. 

Vineyard  Sound,  116. 

Vog,  27. 

W. 

Waterford,  76,  77. 
Weber,  43. 
Weft  Indies,  19. 
Wefterbygd,  105. 
Weftland,  74. 
Weftmen,  75. 
Weftman's  Iflands,  80. 
Whale-rock,  120. 
Wheaton,  Henry,  131. 
White- Man's- Land,  61,  76,  78. 
William  of  Normandy,  131. 
Winland,  128.     Vide  Vinland. 
Winthrop,  James,  133. 
Wifconfin,  Univerlity  of,  137. 
Wood,  74. 
Wormfkiold,  59. 


Y. 

Yule,  47,  48,  49,  104. 


A    001  237  043    3 


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CP 


University  of  California 
SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY 


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